


The Lion and the Lamb

by Humanitys_Shortest_Soldier



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Bloodlust, Falling In Love, Human Furihata Kouki, Human/Vampire Relationship, Implied Himuro Tatsuya/Murasakibara Atsushi, Implied Kagami Taiga/Kuroko Tetsuya, Implied Kasamatsu/Kise Ryouta, Implied Midorima Shintarou/Takao Kazunari, M/M, Slow Burn, Twilight AU, Twilight References, Vampire Akashi Seijuurou, Violent Thoughts, midnight sun au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2020-08-12 01:30:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 22,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20163448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Humanitys_Shortest_Soldier/pseuds/Humanitys_Shortest_Soldier
Summary: Akashi's relatively peaceful existence is interrupted when he meets a new student, a human named Furihata Kouki.  This might be an ordinary occurrence, except that the scent of Furihata's blood is the single most overpowering thing Akashi has encountered in nearly a century of life. Rather than surrendering to the bloodlust, Akashi fights against his instincts and finds that Furihata is far more interesting than he first appears.





	1. First Sight

**Author's Note:**

> It's Twilight, baby. 
> 
> Haha, sorry, I couldn't help myself. I can't believe it's 2019 and here I am, writing in the Twilight universe. (Not that I mind, lol) Anyway, this started as a silly post I made on tumblr and it ended up getting way more notes than I ever thought it would, so I started thinking of ideas and outlining a plot and, well... here we are! 
> 
> A few things: You won't need any previous knowledge of the Twilight Universe to enjoy or understand this fic, so no worries if haven't read/watched the books or movies! And, if you are familiar with the ins and outs of the story, this will not be cut and paste. The characters from KNB are going to behave and react much differently to the world around them, which is going to impact some situations later on. 
> 
> That's all for now, I think. Let me know what you think! If you guys have any fun ideas or headcanons, feel free to message me on tumblr or twitter and scream about it with me! Enjoy! <3

Akashi’s eyes scanned the page of the book he had open on the cafeteria table. He forced himself to read slowly, to absorb every syllable as though the information was somehow vital. Once the appropriate amount of time had passed, he turned the page, starting the process over again.

It was all for show, of course. Were he away from human eyes, Akashi would be free to read as quickly as he liked, fully reading each page in a fraction of a second, turning the pages so quickly it would be nothing more than a flutter to a mortal.

But here, in this high school cafeteria, Akashi had to be careful. Humans had a tendency to stare at the bizarre family of too-pale teenagers, and a wrong move would surely be noticed.

He sighed, simply for something else to do, and flipped another page. Apparently the action was startling enough that Kise looked up from his phone.

“Everything okay, Akashicchi?” he asked, his perfect brows knitting together.

Before he could even bother lifting his head, Kagami cut in. “What kind of stupid question is that?” he snorted. “He’s reading a book, same as any other day.”

“Well _duh_,” Kise rolled his eyes. “But today he sighed. That’s different!”

“From Akashi? He always sighs!”

“Not always!” Kise sang, stretching out the word. “But most of the time, yes.”

Akashi finally looked up, scowling at the blond. “I’m right here. I can _hear_ you.”

“I sure hope you can,” Kagami retorted. “You’d be a pretty shitty vampire if you couldn’t.”

“Quiet!” three of them hissed at once. On instinct, Akashi’s sharp eyes flashed around the room.

It was foolish, he knew. The word had been spoken below a normal volume, and there were no humans close enough to overhear. Yet still, the reaction to the word spoken out loud was automatic.

It wasn’t a word any of them were particularly fond of hearing, even after a couple of decades.

Akashi’s gaze slid to Kuroko, further verifying that their conversation hadn’t been overheard. Kuroko shook his head, and Akashi relaxed.

If a human had somehow heard their conversation, then Kuroko would be the one to handle it. It was the most valuable benefit to his rather… particular ability.

In his human life, Kuroko possessed a nearly invisible sense of presence. Other people could stand right next to him and not have the slightest idea he was there. Now, as a vampire, Kuroko was able to nearly completely erase his existence from someone's mind.

Or, in extreme instances, Kuroko could remove very small periods of time from a person's memory. A few words spoken too loudly, or a movement that was too fast, and Kuroko would step in. It had happened a few times over the near-century they’d been traveling together, especially with the more boisterous few, like Kagami or Aomine.

Of course, Kuroko couldn’t truly erase a memory. It was more that he was able to misdirect a person's thoughts around the memory he wanted them to forget.

A low grumble sounded next to him. Kasamatsu had his head bowed, his thumb and forefinger pinching the bridge of his nose in what appeared to be exasperation. It was no surprise, given his brothers’ behavior.

“Everyday,” he muttered quietly. “Every damn day, you two do something that makes me question my sanity.”

Kise pouted immediately. “Aw, don’t be like that!” He reached across the table to touch his arm. Kasamatsu jerked away.

“_Akashi Seijuurou._”

He turned his head automatically, at the sound of his name. It was a reflex, despite knowing he would find nothing of interest waiting for him.

After the initial excitement of his family joining the student body, it wasn’t all that common for his classmates to speak any of their names out loud.

Akashi locked onto a pair of impossibly wide brown eyes.

The eyes belonged to a face that Akashi didn’t recognize. That was an impressive feat, considering the school had a population of a mere three hundred and thirty-seven — or thirty-eight, it seemed — students.

“And that’s Kagami Taiga and Kuroko Tetsuya,” the voice finished. Akashi shifted his gaze to the left, landing on Fukuda Sogo. He was the one who had said Akashi’s name in the first place, not the new student.

Kise shifted beside him. “Oh, the new boy!” he cooed. “So that’s what all the fuss has been about today.”

“Who cares,” Kagami grumbled.

Kuroko flicked him in the ear. “Kagami-kun is misbehaving today.”

“Am not,” Kagami growled, swatting at the offending hand. Kuroko was quicker, pulling just out of reach.

Kasamatsu closed the magazine he’d been flipping through, pushing to his feet. “That’s it, I’m out. I can’t stand another second of you three.”

“No, wait!” Kise called after him. “We’ll chill, I promise!”

His plea fell on deaf ears, as Akashi heard Kasamatsu continue out the door. He couldn’t be bothered to watch, as his focus was still on the new boy.

There was nothing remarkable about him. Wide brown eyes. Flyaway brown hair. Thin features. Painfully average, even by human standards.

He seemed to have little trouble making friends, however. His lunch table was practically overflowing with students. All in an attempt to soak up some of the attention, surely. Humans were predictable like that.

The boy had turned away upon first meeting Akashi’s eyes, almost seeming to shrink into his seat. That didn’t seem to deter him from sending glances towards their table every few seconds, though.

Fukuda appeared to have taken it upon himself to explain the oddities of his family to the newcomer. The others took notice.

“Talking shit already,” Kagami grumbled under his breath.

Kuroko was watching the table too. “He looks afraid,” he noted. “Perhaps he takes the rumors more seriously than the others?”

“He’s not suspicious, is he?” Kagami asked, narrowing his eyes towards the boy. “Oi, Akashi. Can you see him doing anything? Like freaking out or something?”

Akashi repressed another sigh. It was his job, he supposed. If Kuroko was their backup, then Akashi was the lookout.

He closed his eyes, although that wasn’t necessary for him to _see_. It was merely a habit of his at this point, to help channel his focus.

An image of the boy drifted behind his eyelids. It fractured, breaking apart, splintering down a tunnel inside his mind, looking to glimpses of the future…

He saw nothing. Absolutely nothing.

His eyes flashed open, the vision shattering. He looked to the new boy with narrowed eyes.

“What’d you see?” Kagami asked. Akashi ignored him, staring at the boy. His brown eyes shifted, briefly meetings Akashi’s before cringing away again.

“Akashicchi? Did you see something?”

“No,” Akashi answered, not turning away from the boy. “I didn’t see anything.”

There was a pause.

“You didn’t see… like he’s not gonna do anything?” Kise asked hesitantly.

Akashi’s eyes narrowed into slits. “No.”

“So he is gonna start some shit,” Kagami growled.

“No.”

Kagami jerked around to face him, his lips curled over his teeth. “What the hell, Akashi? Quit being a cryptic asshole and tell us what’s going on!”

“I told you clearly,” Akashi said, his tone dangerously calm. Kagami instantly backed down with a grumble. “You’re not listening. I didn’t _see_.”

The words hung heavy in the air. Akashi sat tensely, his muscles rigid with discomfort. The feeling of weakness washing over him was strange, to say the least. He couldn’t recall his second sight ever failing him before. And in front of his family…

Of course it was Kuroko to break the silence. “I’m sure things will be fine,” he said, in that deadpan way of his. “It’s normal for our abilities to waiver when it comes to humans. And this is someone new. Perhaps he’s just more difficult than the others.” He threw a glance towards the boy. “In any case, he seems harmless. Let’s just calm down, please.”

Akashi relaxed slightly. There was some truth to Kuroko’s words. It was more difficult at times to see the future of humans. And even when he did, the visions weren’t quite as clear as the ones involving his own kind.

Still, for him to see nothing at all… was new.

“You’re right,” he agreed. He very pointendly turned his back to the boys table. “One new human is hardly anything for us to concern ourselves with.” He looked to Kise. “Shouldn’t you go after Kasamatsu?”

Kise ducked his head. “Crap. Yeah, I probably should.” He swept his hair back from his forehead. “I’m gonna catch hell for it later, anyway.”

“Gross.” Kagami wrinkled his nose.

Kise laughed. He stood up, grabbing his tray of uneaten food. He strode gracefully towards the door, giving a wave over his shoulder. “See you guys later!”

A few minutes later, and the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch hour. As the four of them rose and began gathering their books with measured slowness, Akashi couldn’t help but cast another scowl across the room. The new boy appeared to be studying his schedule.

It didn’t matter, Akashi reminded himself again. It was no fault on his part that he was unable to see him. It was just a fluke, on the boys part. Certainly not Akashi’s.

Akashi headed out the door, separating from his family and heading towards his sixth period biology class. A few other students were already trickling in.

He sat at his table near the back of the room, letting his books spread across the desk. Masuda-sensei was kind enough, or wary enough, to not assign anyone to share the space with him.

More students were taking their seats. Akashi ignored them, as he always did. There was nothing in this class that would surprise someone with two degrees in medicine.

The door opened again, and Fukuda walked in. Followed very closely by the new boy. Furihata, he heard them call him.

Akashi repressed another sigh. Perhaps the universe was out to get him today. Because the only available seat was the one beside him. The boy was in for a long semester.

He moved his things, clearing Furihata’s half of the table.

In that moment, Furihata strode down the aisle, about to pass Akashi’s desk. Which happened to be directly in the airflow of the heating vent.

Furihata’s scent hit him like an avalanche. Or a hurricane. Or several F5 tornadoes converging on one tiny farmhouse all at once. There wasn’t a force of nature strong enough to depict the violence that Akashi felt in that moment.

He was a vampire. That fact had never been truer than in this very second. He was a bloodthirsty monster, and Furihata had the sweetest blood he’d smelled in nearly a century.

The boy shot Akashi a nervous glance, from the corner of his eye, as he passed the table. The color drained from his cheeks as he took in the murderous expression on Akashi’s face.

No surprise there. He could see his face reflected in the mirror of Furihata’s eyes.

Akashi saw his other self.

The golden-eyed version of himself glared back at him before the Furihata boy averted his gaze, cringing so hard he stumbled over the perfectly flat floor. His other self grinned in his head.

This human was so frail, so pathetically weak, that it would take no effort all to kill him.

Because this human boy was going to die. There was no question of it in Akashi’s mind. For a fraction of a second, a vision clouded over his eyes, one of his own future.

He saw nothing. Almost as though he didn’t exist.

His other self snarled, breaking the empty vision. His other self cared nothing for visions of a future that no longer mattered.

The only future he was concerned with was one that involved the boy dead, his own eyes glowing a demonic gold from draining him dry.

And that was an absolute.

Unfortunately for the rest of the room, that meant their deaths as well. Twenty-four other students and one teacher would die here, in this small classroom. They would not be allowed to live, having witnessed the bloody horror that was about to unfold.

His other self was already planning it. Out of the two of them, he was the one who was the most profecient in murder. That fact didn’t appear to offend his other self in the slightest.

For the first time in decades, Akashi actively assisted in the plans. He booked no argument when it came to the death of this human boy.

It would be the easiest thing in the world, to kill him. He would have to move quickly afterwards, however. There wouldn’t be time to empty his body, not yet. The remainder of the room would have to perish before he could taste…

The other way around then, his other self decided. It would be just as simple to kill the others first. He estimated he could snap four to five necks a second. The left side of the room was closest, so he would take them first. Around to the back, taking out the teacher. Then the right side, who would only have a few seconds to realize what was happening.

And then Furihata would die.

Akashi’s other self smiled, pleased. He’d been dormant for years, and it had been several decades since he was last in control of their body.

How easily he snapped to the surface now! Akashi’s bloodlust wavered for a moment, something closer to disappointment taking its place.

Akashi’s other self had been with him since his human days. When they were changed, his other self came with him into this new life.

He was quiet at first, as Midorima guided him through his first few years as a newborn. But as the first decade passed, he became more vocal, expressing more and more distaste for the way they were living.

Not about the vampire part. His other self had little issue about _that_. Instead his focus was about their feeding habits in particular. They’d spent their entire human life under the control of their father, and now they were going to let someone else decide how they should live?

Akashi found himself in agreement, to a certain extent. While the idea of going off on his own was appealing, he remained hesitant to go along with the murdering of innocent humans.

_Then allow me_, had been the response.

In a moment of weakness, Akashi allowed his other self to take over. He held control for three years, with Akashi only waking up long enough to check in once every couple of months. He never stuck around long, instead choosing to go back to sleep in the deepest part of their mind.

But the violence was beginning to wear on him. The death of countless innocents became all he could see, whenever he was awake to see their reflection. The sinister gold of their eyes was unsettling, even to himself.

And so he fought back, regaining control once again. He swore to himself right then that he would never succumb to such weakness again.

Furihata’s scent swirled in his brain. If this human boy died at his hands, here in this room, he’d be just as weak now as he was back then.

Whether he was a vampire or not, he was still a creature capable of rational thought. He wasn’t some mindless beast ruled by instincts. He could think. He could make decisions.

And Furihata didn’t _have_ to die. Not in this room, at the very least.

His other self growled at the thought. Impossibly, he forced Furihata’s scent even more into the forefront of Akashi’s mind. He gripped the edge of the table, using every last cell in his body to hold himself still.

Akashi had just enough control left to cut the flow of air to his lungs. The relief was instant. He could think clearly again, for the most part. The burn in his throat was only eased by a margin, but it was bearable again.

Only a few seconds had passed. Furihata was still walking to the teachers desk in the back. As subtle as he could, Akashi slid to the far end of his table, putting as much distance between his chair and Furihatas as he could in the small space.

As predicted, Masuda-sensei had no choice but to send Furihata to sit with him. He tried not to pay attention to the boys stuttering words as he awkwardly introduced himself.

The chair next to him slid out noisily. Furihata sat down, very pointedly keeping his head down. Other students turned in their seats to stare, but Akashi hardly noticed. He was far too focused on the delicious, warm heat he could feel pulsing against the right side of his body.

Furihata’s heartbeat was far faster than it should be. With fear, probably. Akashi didn’t hold it against the boy. He was still planning his death, after all.

That is, his other self was. He was thinking differently now that Akashi made the decision to not kill him here.

Now he was imagining leaving after class to wait in the woods. From there he would follow Furihata back to his house, where hopefully he would be alone. If he wasn’t he’d have to wait until dark…

Automatically, Akashi made another attempt to look to the future. He saw nothing again, an empty void where the boy should have been.

With a jolt, he realized what must be going on. With Akashi sitting here beside him, making plans on how to end Furihata’s life, _of course_ the boy didn’t have a future. The moment he received his class assignments, his future must have dropped right out of existence.

The thought made Akashi feel sick. Was there truly no hope then? Did he have no choice but to succumb to this weakness?

Was Furihata destined to die at his hands?

No.

Defiance gripped him like a flame. There was always a choice. He didn’t have to kill Furihata. He didn’t have to follow him home. There had to be another way.

If he could make it through this one hour, then surely he could make it through two. It would be easier when he was away, when he couldn’t feel the lushious heat of his body, when he couldn’t hear the boys racing heart, pumping the hot, delicious blood through his veins…

One hour. He could do this. He _would_ do this.

His other self was brimming with anger. He kept reciting a mantra, arguing that this was in their nature, it was who they were. They’d already killed before, where was the harm in one human boy?

He forced the memory of the scent at him again, imagining how it would taste. He pictured himself with Furihata in his arms, opening his mouth and letting his teeth glide through the soft skin at his neck.

Akashi’s throat ripped into flames.

He closed his eyes, gripping the table to keep him in his seat. His fingers splintered through the wood, pulling him back for a second. As discreetly as possible, he kicked at the wood shards with his foot, scattering them across the floor.

The teacher was droning on, but Akashi didn’t hear a word. All his focus was on the boy next to him.

Akashi turned his head slightly to look at him. Furihata had his shoulders hunched up, like he was trying to take up as little space as possible. He was facing forward, his head bowed slightly.

Looking at the boy, Akashi felt an irrational sense of anger. This teenage human male had the power to bring out the worst in him with nothing more than his scent. It was absurd.

There was little Akashi hated more than someone having control over him.

Almost as though Furihata could hear his thoughts, the boy turned his head, glancing at Akashi. It was clear he didn’t expect Akashi to be looking at him. His mouth fell open slightly, and his eyes widened impossibly further.

The color also drained from his face. Akashi tracked the movement, watching the blood swirl beneath the delicate layer of his skin. He imagined piercing that skin, how soothing the hot liquid would feel against his burning throat.

Their eyes met for a fraction of a second before Furihata flinched away. Akashi wondered what his face must have looked like. He could wager a fair guess.

Most humans tended to avoid looking at them for long in the first place. They were admired from a distance for their beauty, but up close, it was almost as though they could sense the danger.

Akashi knew he looked especially dangerous today, with his nearly-black eyes. It had been almost two weeks since he last hunted. That wasn’t an unreasonably long period of time, but it was enough to make him wish he’d been better fed before encountering _this_.

Not that it would have mattered in the end. Thirsty or not, Akashi would have responded to this siren call all the same.

He was tempted to take a breath, but he resisted. The taste of Furihata’s scent was still on the back of his tongue, the memory of it fresh in his mind. Nothing good would come from inhaling any more of it.

But _god_, he wanted to. More than anything over the course of his existence, he wanted that scent. He thought of Furihata home alone, where he could take his time, savoring the flavor…

One hour. Just one hour.

Akashi’s other self had resigned to letting things play out. He was quite certain Akashi would fail in his quest to leave the boy alive, so he wasn’t going to fret. He was a little upset, however, that he hadn’t stumbled upon someone who smelled as good as Furiahta when he had been in control.. If he had known that such a scent existed, he would have combed the earth for it decades ago.

_Yet here you are, letting it go to waste_, his other self thought.

Akashi didn’t want to kill. And he wouldn’t let his one human make him do it. He was stronger than that.

His other self laughed at the weak conviction.

Akashi eyed the clock. Class was almost over, and the human boy was still alive. He focused on that, on the evidence that he was strong enough.

Furihata would live. Akashi was not going to follow him home.

After this class, Akashi would never see this boy again.

He’d come to realize that over that last hour. If he fully intended to leave the boy alive, then Akashi would not be able to continue at this school. Maybe even this city.

He had to leave.

Akashi didn’t know if his family would come with him. He certainly didn’t expect them to. This was their favorite city, the weather allowing them to almost be normal. It would be a shame to ask them to leave so soon.

He would go alone then. In two years the boy would be gone anyway, off to college, and Akashi could return.

He could do this.

Akashi watched the final seconds of the clock tick down. He was on his feet a fraction of a second before the bell rang, rushing to the door a little too quickly, but all he could think about was putting as much distance between himself and that mouthwatering fragrance as he could.

As soon as he was outside, Akashi sucked in a greedy breath, letting the cool air wash away the remaining taste of Furihata’s scent. He did that over and over again as he made his way to the parking lot.

He went straight to his car. There wasn’t a chance he was going to make it through another class. He was far too dangerous to be around humans right now.

Instead he let his head fall back, his eyes closed. He turned the radio on for some noise, and tried very hard not to think.

He didn’t let himself imagine following Furihata home from the shadows of the forest. He didn’t let himself picture Furihata’s house, where he knew the chief lived, with no close neighbors.

He didn’t let himself think about how good Furihata would taste, even better than he smelled…

Akashi clenched his jaw. He forced the vivid image from his mind. He should be thinking about leaving, not about how delectable the blood moving under Furihata’s skin had looked —

Leaving. He needed to decide where he would go, and more importantly, how he was going to tell the others.

A sudden wave of sadness washed over him. He hated the thought of disappointing his family. It felt strangely like he would be abandoning them, even though that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Akashi drew in another breath of fresh air. Perhaps he didn’t need to leave. He’d made it through most of the day before encountering Furihata. If he could find a way to avoid that one class, maybe he could stay. It would be simple enough to memorize the boys schedule, to learn how to avoid him. He’d have to be mindful of the wind patterns, but other than that, it shouldn’t be too hard.

The idea made him hopeful. He was Akashi Seijuurou, and was stronger than this.

With renewed confidence, Akashi left his car. The school day was winding to a close, and Akashi needed to make his move now before it was too late.

Akashi made his way through the campus. He opened the door to the main office, striding up to the desk. The woman behind the counter gave a start.

“Hello, dear,” she greeted. “What can I do for you?”

“Good afternoon, Takada-san.” Akashi tried his best to appear friendly. “I was hoping you could look into a problem for me.”

She gave a wry smile. Akashi was used to people, especially women, responding to him this way. They were meant to be attractive to their intended prey. While it could occasionally cause some awkward exchanges, it did prove useful in some instances.

“You see, it seems my biology course is largely based on material I’ve already studied,” he tried to sound disheartened. “I was wondering if perhaps I could switch to a different class?”

Akashi heard the office door open behind him, but he ignored it. He was trying to appear persuasive, but he could tell he wasn’t doing the best job. Takada-san looked closer to uneasy than flustered. Yes, she found his looks appealing, but Akashi himself was never good at putting humans at ease. Whether it was due to his unsettling cat-like eyes, or the simple fact that he was born a leader in his human life, he wasn’t sure.

Takada-san clicked on her keyboard for a moment, her fingers stuttering over the keys a little. Her mouth turned down in the corners. “I’m sorry, Akashi-kun, but it looks like every class is full. I’m afraid you’ll have to stay in your biology class.”

Akashi batted his eyes, attempting to mimic the way Kise somehow always managed to get his way. “Are you sure you can’t let me in? I wouldn’t cause any trouble.”

Takada-san lowered her gaze, refusing to meet his eyes. “I’m sure you wouldn’t, but my hands are tied.”

Just then, the office door opened again, bringing a breeze with it. A girl came to counter and dropped a slip of paper in the basket before leaving again. But Akashi barely noticed, every cell in his body focused on the scent that blew into the room.

Akashi’s hand twitched. It would be so easy to reach over and slam Takada-san’s head into the counter. She wouldn’t even feel it, and the Furihata boy would have no time to run.

No class full of dead children. There was only one human standing in the way of Akashi and his greatest need. A fair trade.

His other self roared to the surface once again.

Akashi struggled to turn his head, glaring over his shoulder at the human boy who was practically cowering into the wall. He met Akashi’s eyes for a second before flinching away, lowering his gaze to the floor.

He drew in another breath, feeling Furihata’s scent rip through him.

It went against every instinct in his possession to stop breathing. The relief was instant, but Furihata’s scent was still in his head. He felt almost dizzy with it.

He needed to get out here. _Now_.

Akashi turned back to the woman.. “Nevermind then,” he said, the facade of politeness gone from his tone. Takada-san’s eyes widened. “Thank you for your help.”

He turned on his heel and made for the door, taking every ounce of control to not rip it from its hinges. Furihata’s body heat flared against him as he passed. The appealing sound of his quickened heartbeat and the memory of his scent fresh in Akashi’s mind was almost too much to bear. He kept his jaw clamped tight until he was back outside.

Any hope of remaining in Akita vanished from his mind as he gulped down the untainted air. If he stayed at this school a second longer than absolutely necessary, he knew he wouldn’t be able to resist again.

He was barely resisting now.

_You could still follow him home_, his other self reminded him.

Akashi forced the thought from his mind. He walked quickly through the parking lot, perhaps too quickly, but he couldn’t quite care, at the moment. As he came into view of the car, he saw the others were already gathered there, waiting for him.

He barely had the backdoor open before he was telling Kasamatsu to get them out of here, _now_.

“What’s going on?” Kasamatsu asked. Akashi’s tone had him on high alert. “Are we—”

“Just go,” he urged. “Now. I’ll explain on the way.”

As bizarre as he knew he was acting, the other’s trusted his judgement. Kasamatsu pulled out, dodging another car, and tore down the freeway. Akashi rolled the window down, hoping the wind would somehow chase away that intoxicating scent.

It wasn’t working.

“What the hell is up with you, Akashi?” That would be Kagami. Kuroko was watching silently from his side. “If you saw something you should have—”

“I didn’t,” Akashi interrupted. “There is no danger.”

_Except for me_, he thought to himself. _I’ve never been more dangerous than I am right now_.

“Then what gives?”

All eyes were on him. Half of them looked annoyed. The other half looked concerned. Akashi wasn’t sure which was worse.

“Because I’m leaving,” he finally said. It was the simplest answer he could give.

Kagami growled. “No shit, we’re all leaving.”

Akashi couldn’t fight back a snarl of his own this time. His control was hanging on by a thread, and Kagami’s sarcastic attitude was the last thing he was prepared to deal with. “I’m not referring to leaving the _school_, as you seem to foolishly assume.” The car fell dead silent. “I’m leaving the city.” He paused, the lingeringly memory of Furihata’s scent sent his throat burning. “Possibly the country.”

“What?!” Kise cried in alarm. “You can’t leave, Akashicchi!”

The others looked tense again. “I thought you said there wasn’t any danger?” Kasamatsu asked, his voice hard, but still calm. He met Akashi’s eyes in the rearview mirror.

“There’s not, I assure you.” Akashi glanced out the window. “Do you mind if we stop here and I take the car? I’d like to stop and see Midorima before I go.”

A beat of silence passed before the car slowed. Akashi was already opening the door before they came to a stop.

Akashi kept his eyes forward, too ashamed to meet any of their curious stares. He was supposed to be their leader, and here he was, giving in to such weakness…

He sat in the driver's seat, not bothering with the seatbelt. Kasamatsu leaned towards the window.

“Let us know when you get where you’re going. I know it’s serious if it’s you.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Just keep us in the loop, okay?”

Akashi nodded. He hit the gas, speeding down the highway. He kept his mind very carefully focused on the task at hand.

No matter what, he was absolutely _not_ going to turn back around.

He found Midorima’s car easily enough in the hospital parking lot. That would be convenient when he left, as he planned on trading vehicles.

Akashi sent Midorima a quick text, letting him know he was here. He took care to compose his expression as he entered the hospital.

He strode up to the front desk, giving the woman behind the counter a close-lipped smile. “Excuse me, do you know if Midorima is available by any chance?”

“Good to see you, Akashi-kun,” she greeted with easy familiarity. “I’ll send a page to his office. Would you like to wait for him there?”

“That’ll be fine, thank you.”

She sent a quick message over the phone. “Alright, you’re all set,” she smiled. “Do you know the way?”

Akashi nodded politely, and she sent him off with a wave. He navigated the halls expertly, weaving between patients and staff alike. They gave him a wide berth, shooting glances over their shoulders as he passed.

He soon reached Midorima’s office. He rapped his knuckles against the door twice before twisting the handle open.

Midorima sat at his desk, a look of expectation on his face. He appeared calm, but Akashi could see the mild look of concern written there.

“Akashi,” he greeted, cutting right to the point. “Is everything alright?”

“No.” He paused as Midorima’s brows rose in alarm. He realized how his answered must have sounded. “I mean, no one is hurt. We’re all fine. I just—”

Akashi swallowed hard, feeling the shame rise up once again. He hated having to admit to any kind of failure.

“There was a new student today. He sat beside me in one of my classes.” Midorima’s alarm shifted into confusion. “His scent… it was like nothing I’ve ever smelled before.” Akashi’s throat burned at the memory. “He smelled good. So good, I almost…”

“How close was it, Akashi?” Midorima’s voice was hard.

Akashi’s throat felt dry. “Close. Very close.” He took a breath. “I had to stop breathing. I— I was going to kill the entire room, to have him.”

Midorima leaned back in his chair. He pushed his glasses up his nose, a gesture Akashi was keen to roll his eyes at, were this a normal situation.

Finally, Midorima sighed. “What are you going to do?”

“Leave,” Akashi answered immediately. “I can’t stay here. It’s been over two hours and all I can think about is running back. I have to get away.”

Midorima nodded. ‘I think that’s the wisest course.” There was a long pause. “Will you come back?”

Akashi swallowed back the wave of shame again. “I’m not sure.”

“We’ll come with you, if you want.” Midorima’s voice was softer now. “You know that. All you have to do is ask.”

Akashi shook his head. “I understand, but I won’t do that to the others. This is my problem, not theirs.”

Midorima nodded slowly. He stood, and walked around the desk. He clapped a hand firmly on Akashi’s shoulder. “Don’t let your pride keep us away for too long.” Akashi lowered his gaze to the floor. “Come back, or we’ll come to you.”

“Okay,” was all he could say. He met Midorima’s eyes. “Thank you. I— I apologize for all of this.”

Midorima scoffed. “There’s no need for apologies. You did well to hold yourself back. I know that couldn’t have been easy.”

The phone rang, breaking the silence. Midorima moved back towards the desk.

“May I take your car?” Akashi asked. “Yours is faster.”

“Of course. Here,” Midorima tossed him the keys. Akashi caught them with ease, tossing back his own set in exchange.

Akashi turned for the door. “I’ll text you, when I stop. I don’t know where I’m going yet.”

Midoima nodded absently, his hand over the phone. With a final wave, Akashi left the office, working to keep a human pace as he left the hospital.

He slid into the driver's seat, revving the engine. There was still a very large part of him that wanted to turn back, to follow that intoxicating scent to its source…

Instead he punched the gas, turning onto the highway, away from the city. With every mile he put behind him, Furihata’s life expectancy increased.

Akashi ran, like the weakling he was, and disappeared into the horizon.


	2. Open Book

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo, I'm back again! Look at me writing stuff! 
> 
> Thank you guys for all the feedback on the first chapter, whether it was in a comment, on twitter, or on tumblr! I was super nervous to start posting this idea, since it's so different from anything I've ever written, but I'm glad you guys seem to like it so far!
> 
> Enjoy, and I'll see you guys soon!

Akashi laid in the freshly fallen snow.

More was still drifting down between the trees. The flakes didn’t melt as they landed on his skin and hair. It would be a pleasant feeling, if he were truly able to enjoy it. 

He kept thinking about home, and the glaring problem he’d run away from.

A vision flashed behind his eyelids. It only lasted for a fraction of a second, but it was enough for him to register the image of a furry parka sleeve against the snow before it vanished. 

Minutes later, the sound of footsteps reached his ears. He didn’t need to look to know who it was, the vision he saw ruining any chance of surprise.

“There you are,“ Mibichi’s said as he approached. “Mayuzumi said you came out here to mope again, but I didn’t believe him.”

Akashi frowned, keeping his eyes closed. “I’m not moping.”

“Of course you’re not,” Mibuchi laughed. “I forgot it’s a hobby of yours to lounge around in piles of snow in the middle of the night.”

Was it night already? Akashi opened his eyes to see that the sky had in fact darkened, streams of moonlight peeking through the canopy. He’d been so lost in thought that he hadn’t noticed how much time had passed. 

Akashi propped his head up enough to see Mibuchi walk over to him. He tightened his knee-length parka before letting himself fall back, landing in the snow beside Akashi. 

“Have you decided what you’re going to do?” he asked after a moment. 

Akashi sighed with exasperation. “No.” 

He was no closer to an answer then when he first arrived. The only action that felt right was also the one that was impossible. 

Mibuchi laid quietly next to him. Akashi was grateful it was him who came looking and not one of the others. They found more amusement in Akashi’s current predicament then he cared to be around.

“Do you know what _ I _think you should do?” Mibuchi said after a long moment. 

Akashi bit back a grimace. Everyone had no issue voicing their opinions on the subject, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to hear anymore. 

Mibuchi didn’t wait for an answer. “I think you should go back.”

“We’ve been over this — I _ can’t _ go back,” Akashi said in annoyance. “Not without massacring an entire classroom of innocent people. And not to mention the fact that my entire family will be forced to leave the city we’ve all just settled in.” He took a breath. “I won’t do that to them. Akita is our favorite city, and I won’t be the reason we lose it.”

Mibuchi wasn’t fazed. “Well, then don’t kill anyone. Problem solved.”

Akashi sat up, glaring at his friend. “It’s not that simple,” he hissed. “If it were, I wouldn’t have left. I wouldn’t be across the country from where I want to be. I would be home, with my family, and not running away from some human teenager!”

The silence hung in the air after his outburst. The anger began to fade, leaving room for shame and embarrassment to take its place. 

“That’s what it comes down to, isn’t it?” Mibuchi asked quietly. “You feel like a failure for leaving.”

Akashi didn’t respond, refusing to meet Mibuchi’s eyes. He didn’t want to admit to how weak he truly was. 

“Sei-chan—”

“Enough.” Akashi cut him off before he could even begin. “While I appreciate your desire to help, the very last thing I need right now is your pity.”

“Pity?” Mibuchi laughed. “Sei-chan, I have never once _ pitied _ you. You are quite possibly the strongest creature I’ve ever met, and I certainly don’t pity you for it.”

Akashi closed his eyes. He was sure he’d never despised his existence more than he did in this very moment. 

Mibuchi laid a hand on his shoulder. “I think you should go back, because that’s where you want to be. I think leaving was a good idea for you to get away and clear your head, but it’s obvious that staying here with us isn’t what you want, although you’re certainly more than welcome if you change your mind.”

“I know,” Akashi sighed. He raked his fingers through his hair. “And it means a great deal to me, that you would all welcome me. I just…”

He trailed off, thinking through what he wanted to say. “I don’t think I can go back,” he admitted softly. “Not without killing him. Even if I manage to leave the others alive, returning will still mean the death of one.”

Akashi had been staying with others in Kirishima for four days now. He was quite literally as far south as he could possibly get, the span of the country separating himself from his greatest desire. 

And at times, it still felt like it wasn’t enough. 

When Mibushi spoke again, his tone was hesitant. “Not to be too forward about this, but if the life of one human is all that’s standing between you and happiness…”

There was a long silence. Akashi’s hand tightened into a fist against the fabric of his pants. “I _ know, _ Reo. Believe me, nothing would make me happier than draining that boy dry.” Akashi’s jaw flexed, remembering the overwhelming scent of his blood. 

“Well then,” Mibuchi added delicately. “Why not save yourself all the dramatic suffering and just… get it over with?”

Akashi gave a dry laugh, dropping his face head into his hands. “Haven’t I done my fair share of murder already? Or perhaps I’ve killed so many, what does one more life matter?”

“You know I didn’t mean it like that.”

Akashi glanced at Mibuchi from the corner of his eye. “That’s certainly how it sounds.”

Mibuchi heaved a sigh. He turned his body, crossing his legs and facing Akashi. “Listen, I know you don’t want to hurt anyone. That’s why we all live the way we do. And I’ve been in this game much longer than you have.” His spoke sternly, but he didn’t sound condescending. 

“But Sei-chan, we are what we are, and there’s nothing we can ever do to change that. I know you look back on your past and see it as a catastrophic failure on your part, but the truth is that’s what we’re _ supposed to do_. We deny our very nature by living the way we do, and in my opinion, the lives you’ve saved over the years because of that far exceeds the number of lives you’ve taken.”

Akashi lifted his head out of the cradle of his hands, looking at Mibuchi directly for the first time. “You truly feel that way?” he asked softly. 

Mibuchi placed a hand over his chest, where his heart would be beating. He flashed Akashi a grin. “I swear on my life!” 

Akashi’s mouth twitched into a smile in spite of himself. “I suppose that’s fair.” He let his shoulders drop slightly. “I still don’t want to kill him, if I can avoid it,” he added after a moment. 

“You know,” Mibuchi began, taking on that motherly tone he often used when the others wouldn't stop fighting. “I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit. I think if you were going to kill him, you would have already. If you resisted the first blow of his scent, it should be easier now that you know what to expect.”

Akashi raised a skeptical brow. “I don’t think it works like that.”

Mibuchi wagged a chiding finger. “You don’t_ think. _ You’ve only been around it once. That’s hardly enough to make such a bold a conclusion on.”

“Twice, actually,” Akashi said, remembering how good the boy had smelled in that close, warm little room. His throat ran dry, and he forced his thoughts away. 

“See? Even better.” Mibuchi looked rather proud of himself. “Who’s to say you couldn’t do it again?”

Akashi frowned. “I do see your point. But even if you’re right, is it really fair of me to wager a humans life on my self control?”

“Fair? Absolutely not.” Mibuchi shrugged. “But I think that’s the only way. You’ll be happy at home with your family, and the boy _ probably _ won’t die as long as you hold yourself together. Which, so far, you’re two-for-two.” He gave a laugh. “Those odds are pretty good, considering he sits next to a vampire.”

Akashi shook his head. “I disagree. I don’t think the odds could be any _ worse _ for him.” Mibuchi tilted his head in confusion. “Think about it—he moves to a new city, and gets sent to sit next to _ me_, the one vampire who he has to smell the most alluring to. What are the odds of that?”

“True,” Mibuchi laughed again. “But it was next to _ you _ specifically, and he’s still alive. So maybe his luck isn’t so bad after all.”

He was sure the boy would feel differently if he were aware of the danger he was in, but Akashi kept that opinion to himself. 

They sat in silence, watching the snow fall. Akashi found the scene more peaceful now that his thoughts weren’t in such a snarl. 

He hated to admit it, but there was some truth to Mibuchi’s words, at least in theory. It should be easier to resist the scent now that he knew what to expect. If he were to walk into that classroom fully prepared to face it, would it make fighting the urge any easier?

It was incredibly selfish on his part, to risk a humans life just so he didn’t have to feel like a coward. 

He let Mibuchi’s words bounce around in his head. Akashi had never considered all the humans they hadn’t killed as saving lives. To him and his family, not partaking in human blood was simply the right thing to do, a way to cling to the humanity that was stolen from them. 

It took an enormous effort, but it had always seemed worth it, to continue living the way they did. And after Akashi’s… _ brief _ lapse of judgement, his record was spotless. In fact, out of all of them, Akashi was the one who had made it the furthest in the medical field, other than Midorima. It was only when it came to the more extreme hands-on studies that he withdrew, preferring not to push his limits.

He had felt painfully weak, sitting next to that boy. Like he was offering some challenge that Akashi couldn’t rise to face.

Akashi was sure he had failed the test, when he ran away. But had he passed instead? Was fleeing from the boy actually proof of his strength rather than a weakness?

While he was mulling it over, the faint sound of footsteps reached his ears. He tilted his head, listening. The steps were slow, sort of dragging. Like the person was in no great hurry, or perhaps bored…

Akashi suppressed a groan as he identified who it was. He heard Mibuchi stifle a chuckle next to him. “Took him longer than I thought it would.”

The steps grew closer, and Mayuzumi stepped through the fringe of trees. 

“Nebuya and Hayama want to go hunting,” he said as he approached. His eyes flickered to Akashi. “Are you coming or are you still in the middle of your midlife crisis?”

Akashi growled. He was struck with the realization that if he remained here, he would have to be around Mayuzumi. That made the decision far easier for him. 

It wasn’t that Mayuzumi was unbearable to be around. He was the newest member to join their coven, and his personality was far more abrasive than the others. He kept to himself and spent most of his time reading, which Akashi could relate to. He was a lot like Kuroko in terms of his abilities, but their similarities stopped there. 

He was not particularly kind, and he found little sympathy for Akashi’s situation. Which made being around him go from tolerable to insufferable. 

Akashi rose from the ground and dusted the snow from his pants. “As much as it pains me, I’m afraid I have somewhere to be,” he replied, narrowing his eyes. “My apologies for the disappointment.”

Mayuzumi snorted. “Whatever.” His eyes flashed to Mibuchi. “What about you? Or does he still need you for a therapy session?”

“I’ll pass for now, thank you.” Mibuchi stood, coming to stand beside Akashi. “If you’re all heading out, I’m going to stay here and see Sei-chan on his way. I’ll catch up later.”

Akashi opened his mouth and then paused. There was an odd rumble in the forest, and the three of them froze. Mayuzumi sighed, and half a second later, Hayama sailed through the air, landing in a pile of snow and sending it exploding outwards, covering all three of them from head to toe. 

Mibuchi squealed, quickly dusting the snow from his head and picking through his hair. Akashi brushed the snow from his face in time to see Hayama pop his head out of the mound, a huge grin plastered on his face. 

“Whoo, cannonball!” he shouted. “Dude, I think that’s a new record! Look how far I went!”

Nebuya emerged from the edge of the trees. “Looks like it to me.” He swung his arm in a loose circle. “I think I almost threw my shoulder out with that one!”

They both laughed. Hayama unearthed himself from the snow, dressed in nothing but athletic shorts and a t-shirt. Mibuchi whirled on him in a second.

“_ You_,” he hissed, pointing a finger at Hayama. “What have I told you about this? Look at my hair!”

“Sorry,” Hayama apologized with a sheepish grin. “I couldn’t see you guys until I came through the trees.” He glanced at Akashi. “We’re going hunting. You in?”

Mibuchi shot Akashi a pleading look, one that said _ take me with you_. Akashi smiled back ruefully. 

“I’m heading back home, actually.” Akashi said. “I apologize for the raincheck.”

Nebuya and Hayama exchanged a surprised glance. Akashi pretended he didn’t notice. 

Mayuzumi cut the silence. “If you idiots are done, can we get going? I’m starving.”

“Yeah, let’s go!”

“Race you!”

Mayuzumi, Hayama, and Nebuya raced off into the woods. Mibuchi shook his head and turned to Akashi, pulling him into a hug. 

“You’re welcome back anytime, okay?” Mibuchi said softly. “Remember that. You’re stronger than you think.”

Akashi pulled back and met Mibuchi’s gaze. “Thank you, truly. You’ve been a great help.”

They said their goodbyes, and Mibuchi dashed into the trees, following behind the others. Akashi ran back to the house and got in the car. He took out his phone, and sent a quick message to Midorima.

“_I’m coming home_.”

\-------------------------------------------

Akashi sat in the cafeteria, trying very hard not to stare at the entrance into the room. 

The boy hadn’t arrived yet, and Akashi felt oddly nervous to see him again. It was foolish, he knew. It wasn’t like the boy posed any threat. Between the two of them, Akashi was the dangerous one. 

The tension was palpable in the air. Akashi’s return over the weekend had caused quite a stir with his family. They argued back and forth, on whether it was a good idea or not for Akashi to return to school. Kuroko, Takao, and Kise were on his side, but the others weren’t so quick to agree.

Ultimately, Akashi had put his foot down. The issue was his, and he was the one in control. If he felt confident to return, then that was his decision alone. Everyone had accepted his declaration with a grumble, leaving the room. Midorima had hesitated, clasping Akashi on the shoulder.

“You know I trust you to make the right decision,” he said. “But don’t let your pride get in the way. If we need to leave, we will. No one will look down on you if you can’t handle it.”

Akashi felt the weight of those words on his shoulders now. He was used to being relied on, but he never doubted his abilities as strongly as he did now. 

Was this a mistake?

“He’s here,” Kuroko announced quietly. Akashi stiffened in his seat.

Kagami glared, tracking the boy with his eyes. Kuroko jabbed him in the ribs. “You’re drawing attention.”

All eyes flickered to Akashi, and he resisted the urge to bristle. It wasn’t like he was going to lunge across the room for the boys throat. 

Not for the first time that day, Akashi tried to look into the future. He’d been trying since his decision to come back, and the result was the same every time.

Absolutely nothing.

He hadn’t mentioned any of this to his family. The last thing he needed was to give them something else to tease him about. 

Still, he was growing worried. He’d never experienced any problems like this before. He hoped his lack of sight was simply due to the disruption of his own mental state.

Of course, the alternative was that the boy didn’t have a future to see because Akashi was going to kill him.

_"Oh, it looks like Akashi’s back today._”

Akashi half-turned at the sound of his name. He glanced over his shoulder in the direction of the speaker and saw Kawahara standing in the lunch line, the Furihata boy between him and Fukuda.

Furihata met his eyes for a brief second before he lowered his gaze to his tray. “Crap,” he whimpered, bunching his shoulders up. 

“What’s wrong, Furi?” Kawahara asked. They seemed confused by his reaction, but Akashi knew the reason. He listened intently anyway. 

“I don’t think he likes me very much,” Furihata said, in that same quiet tone.

That was putting it mildly, Akashi thought. He was surprised he hadn’t told any of his friends about Akashi’s bizarre behavior last week. Perhaps he’d been frightened into silence. 

Kawahara and Fukuda seemed unfazed. “Don’t worry about him. None of them really like anybody,” Fukuda shrugged. “They keep to themselves for the most part.”

“Well, except for Kise,” Kawahara added. “We were partners for an english project once and he was pretty nice. Oh, and Kuroko isn’t that bad either. He’s just, you know… kinda weird.”

Fukuda snorted. “They’re _ all _ weird. _ Really _weird.”

They both laughed, and Akashi heard Kagami grind his teeth together next to him. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Kagami was always getting worked up over the trivial prattle of humans. It was absurd. 

The three of them headed towards a crowded table on the opposite end of the room. Akashi turned his back to them, picking up his book and pretending to read it. He tried not to listen to the conversation he could still hear from across the room. 

It was an unwelcome feeling, for him to be so nervous. It had been a very long time since Akashi last felt any kind of unease about anything. His existence had been blissfully uneventful, for the most part. 

The others were unusually quiet today as well. Akashi could still feel their eyes on him, and he knew it was taking most of them a great deal of effort to not say anything. Only Kuroko seemed to be unfazed by Akashi’s predicament. 

All to soon, the bell rang, ending lunch. Everyone started getting up to leave with the exception of Akashi’s table. They all waited, curious to see if he was going to go to class or not. Akashi raised his chin arrogantly. 

“Get to class,” he ordered, closing the cover of his book. He began gathering his things into his arms when Kise spoke up.

"Akashicchi, are you sure—”

“Yes,” he cut Kise off. “I’m sure. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t. Now go, and I’ll see you all after class.”

The dismissal was clear. The others didn’t dare speak, but Akashi caught the disappointed look on Katsamatsu’s face as he turned away. He made a mental note to apologize to him later, but right now, he couldn’t afford anymore cracks in his armor. 

Akashi walked through the campus, taking a longer route around the building to avoid crossing the boys scent. As he approached the door, he drew in a deep breath and held it. This was the last clean breath he was likely to get until class ended. 

He was nearly the last student to arrive. Furihata was already in his seat, a notebook open in front of him. His gaze flickered up to Akashi and then back down, lowering his head. Akashi could see the tension in his shoulders and back as he pulled his chair out and sat down beside him. 

It was odd, how perfectly harmless this boy seemed when Akashi couldn’t smell him. If the memory of his scent wasn’t so strong, Akashi would have a hard time believing it. 

He waited a moment to see if Furihata was going to speak to him, but he showed no sign that he even knew Akashi was there. He was drawing aimlessly in the corner of his notebook, but Akashi caught the slight tremble of his hand. 

He felt an odd wave of guilt, looking at the boy. He was clearly timid, perhaps more so than most humans. Watching him, Akashi was overcome with the strangest urge to undo the terror he’d caused, to somehow make Furihata forget his behavior from last week. If he was determined not to kill him, perhaps he should try and settle his nerves, if at all possible. 

Granted, Akashi was far from the best at putting humans at ease. Still, he had enough experience to give it a shot. What more harm could he do?

He winced at the obvious answer to that question.

He cleared his throat quietly and waited for Furihata to turn, When he didn’t, Akashi decided to use a little of his stored oxygen to speak. 

“Hello,” he greeted, keeping his voice calm and even. Furihata’s head snapped up, looking at Akashi with shock. He let his lips pull into a slight smile as he continued. “Forgive me for not getting the chance to introduce myself last week.”

He paused to give Furihata a chance to respond. He was looking at Akashi with wide eyes, stunned. His mouth tried to work, but no sound came out. Akashi’s smile faltered a little. 

“My name is Akashi Seijuurou,” he prodded. “And you are Furihata Kouki, correct?”

Finally, the boy nodded. Well, it was better than nothing, Akashi supposed. 

The bell rang, and Masudai-sensei started class. Which was good, because Akashi was out of air. If he was going to speak again, he would need to take a breath. 

Furihata turned away, facing the front of the room again. Masuda-sensei was going around the room, handing out microscopes to everyone's table, explaining the lesson for the day. Akashi only paid enough attention to hear that it they would be partnering up for this activity. 

It would be nearly impossible to work together and not speak. Which meant that Akashi was going to _ have _ to breathe. 

While the teacher was prattling on, Akashi very carefully angled his face away from Furihata, burying his nose in his shoulder in a way similar to a human trying to muffle a sneeze. He locked his muscles in place, and took a tiny breath in through his nose. 

Furihata’s scent scorched its way down his throat, and it that first instance, Akashi regretted every decision in the entire existence that led him to this moment. It was like inhaling flames, and the pain was nearly unbearable.

The only thing worse than the burning thirst was the unparalleled, irresistible wave of desire that overcame him. Every cell in his body craved Furihata’s blood, and by association his death. His muscles, already tensed, coiled to spring. 

Akashi squeezed his eyes shut and cut his air flow after that one breath. It brought claity back to his head, but the scent still lingered on the back of his tongue, fogging his brain.

Masuda-sensei finished explaining the task. “Get to work,” he dismissed. “I’ll come around and check when you think you’ve got it.”

Akashi straightened, his hands still locked into fists under the table. He turned his head, and saw that Furihata was looking at him. Akashi attempted to gain some control over his expression.

He lifted a hand and nudged the microscope towards Furihata, gritting his teeth and offering a small smile. “Would you like to start?” 

Furihata blinked. He reached for the microscope with trembling fingers. “S-Sure.”

Akashi watched as Furihata placed the first slide. He looked down the scope, making a few adjustments. 

Akashi was stuck all over again by how this perfectly ordinary, average boy was able to bring out such a strong reaction in him. 

“It’s prophase,” Furihata said, his voice shaking a little. He slid the microscope back towards Akashi.

“Do you mind if I check?” Akashi asked.

“Huh?” Furihata seemed startled. “O-Oh, yeah, go ahead.”

Akashi took a brief glance. Furihata was correct, so he filled in the answer on the sheet in front of him. He swapped out the slide for another, and took a fleeting look. 

“Anaphase,” he said. He pushed the slide back to Furihata in an attempt to be polite. “Would you like to see?”

Furihata huffed a laugh, clearly startled. He took the microscope and checked. “Looks r-right to me.”

Akashi passed him the box of slides so he could look at the next one. While Furihata examined the third slide, Akashi turned his head and took another small breath, inhaling through his mouth this time rather than his nose.

It was still incredibly painful, but not as bad without directly smelling it. Violence still flashed through his mind, and he tensed, his hunting instincts automatically kicking in. It was only by a thread of his self control that he was able to hold his breath again.

A small part of him was pleased, however. Mibuchi’s theory did seem to have some truth to it. Furihata’s scent was still just as desirable as that first day, and it wasn’t any easier to be around, but knowing what to expect and being able to brace himself beforehand was helpful, in a small way. 

His confidence, which had been waving, lifted slightly. Perhaps he could do this after all. 

Furihata proclaimed the third to slide to be metaphase, and slid the microscope to Akashi without him having to ask. 

They continued this way, trading the microscope back and forth until they were finished. Akashi glanced around the room, noticing that they were the first group done. Furihata was doodling in his notebook again. 

Akashi looked out the window, seeing that the rain had picked up. Surely the weather was safe enough as a conversation topic. 

“How are you feeling about the rain?” Akashi asked, trying to keep his voice friendly. Furihata seemed startled again, looking up at him with wide eyes. 

“Um, it’s u-uh… okay, I guess,” he stammered. His lips pulled down in the corners, and his brows furrowed as he eyed the window.

Akashi noticed his expression. “Not a fan, I see.” 

“No, n-not really,” Furihata sighed. He hesitated, still looking mildly confused as to why Akashi was talking to him. He seemed a little less nervous though, so Akashi figured things weren’t going horribly. 

Akashi used the last of his stored oxygen. “What brought you to Akita then, if not the rain?” 

He meant it to sound joking, but underneath his teasing tone was genuine curiosity. His presence in this town had done nothing but make Akashi’s life more difficult, and he wanted to know what had brought him here. 

“O-Oh.” Furihata blinked, seeming surprised by the bluntness of the question. “Um, w-well… my mom got a new job? So I, uh… c-came to stay with my dad.”

Akashi snuck another breath while Furihata was speaking, turning away to hide his expression. He tried to focus on Furihata’s words, and not how appallingly delicious he smelled. 

“You couldn’t go with her?” Akashi asked, regaining some level of control over his composure. He hoped Furihata didn’t notice the way his jaw was clenched in restraint.

Furihata frowned a little. “I p-probably could have? But it was international, so it would have been a b-big move.”

Akashi nodded in understanding. “I see. So she took the position and sent you here.” 

“No, it wasn’t like that,” Furiahta said, sounding a bit defensive. Akashi raised a brow in surprise at his tone. “I offered to move in with my dad. She was going to turn the job down, to stay with me, but I told her she should take it.” 

“Oh,” Akash said, tilting his head. “My apologies, I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Furihata gave a jolt, waving his hands frantically. “You d-didn’t! Really! It’s just, u-um…” he trailed off uncertainty. He took a deep breath, and then he was speaking so quickly that Akashi was sure a human would have a hard time keeping up.

“It wasn’t an easy choice, and I really don’t like the cold or the rain, and I miss my friends, but it was her dream job, you know? I couldn’t let her pass it up just because of me. And I have an older brother, but he’s in college and really couldn’t afford for me to move in with him.” He paused to draw in a deep breath. “So here I am.”

Furihata shrugged, dropping his gaze to the table. Despite the way he defended his decision, he seemed saddened by it at the same time. 

Akashi was surprised to find that he could sympathize, in a way. He’d spent most of his human life doing anything possible to please his parents, often at his own expense. And certainly not by his own choice.

“That was very kind of you,” Akashi told him sincerely. “I’m sure it meant a great deal to her.”

Blood swirled beneath the skin of Furihata’s cheeks as he blushed, and Akashi forced himself to look away. “It’s nothing, r-really. I think anyone would have done the same.” Furihata shrugged. “But t-thanks.”

Just then, Masuda-sensei walked up to their desk. Akashi was quick to take a breath of the untainted air that he brought with him. 

He checked their worksheet, and then looked closer, examining the answers. He turned to Akashi with a slight frown. “Don’t you think Furihata-kun should have gotten a turn?” he asked. 

“Of course,” Akashi responded, perfectly polite. “He identified three of the five, actually.”

Masuda-sensei directed his gaze at Furihata. “Have you studied this course before?”

Furihata blushed, ducking his head. “Yes, sir,” he answered. 

“I see,” Masuda-sensei laughed. “In that case, I’m glad you two are partners.” He gave their sheet back, moving on to make his way around the room. 

“That was a little insulting, don’t you think?” Akashi asked when he was out of earshot.

Furihata looked him fully in the eye for the first time, his lips twitching into the hint of a smile. “I thought it was just me.”

Akashi met his gaze, wondering not for the first time how such a harmless looking boy could be so potent. 

It didn’t seem fair to either of them. Akashi wasn’t sure if even his darkest sin was deserving of having to face Furihata’s scent, and he was sure a self-sacrificing, kind human like Furihata had never done anything wrong to deserve being sat next to someone as dangerous as Akashi. 

“Hey,” Furihata said suddenly, squinting at Akashi. “Did you get contacts?”

Akashi blinked, caught off guard by the question. “No?” he answered, resisting the urge to laugh. The thought of trying to improve his eyesight was comical.

“Oh, s-sorry,” Furhata stammered, lowering his head. “I just thought there was something d-different about your eyes, is all.”

Akashi stiffened in his seat. Furihata was more observant than he gave him credit for.

Of course there was something different about his eyes. The last time Furihata saw him, Akashi’s eyes had been black with thirst. Today, after spending the weekend hunting, his eyes were brighter, back to matching the vibrant red of his hair.

He’d just made a critical error. One that could be costly, if Furihata decided to press the issue. Thankfully he seemed willing to let the issue drop. 

It was a foolish mistake. He was so focused on not killing Furihata that he hadn’t thought to lie about the contacts.

Akashi was relieved when Masuda-sensei called the class to order. He lectured on about the assignment, showing the correct answers. 

Three breathes. Akashi had inhaled Furihata’s scent three times over the hour, and hadn’t killed him. 

It was a monumental achievement. 

His other self was there, in the back of his mind, but he was easier to ignore than last time. Being able to anticipate the scent beforehand was a huge advantage. It didn’t make it any less painful, or make Furihata’s blood any less desirable, but it helped him maintain some level of control. 

He hated to think what would happen if he ran into that scent unexpectedly again. He was going to have to be very careful, being aware of every breath he took in Furihata’s presence. And, it seemed, be on the lookout for more probing questions about his… unusual appearance.

Masuda-sensei dismissed them a few minutes before the bell rang. Akashi kept his eyes forward, hoping Furihata wouldn’t try and speak to him again. He wasn’t sure he could handle another breath today.

Thankfully, the girl at the table to their left leaned across the aisle to strike up a conversation with him. Akashi paid them little mind, watching the clock tick down the final minute.

Just like last week, Akashi was up and out of his seat a fraction of a second before the bell rang. He was the first one out the door, moving a little too fast, but he couldn’t be bothered with human speed at the moment. He hurried around the side of the building, pulling in deep breaths of clean air. Other students began trickling out, and Akashi realized how strange he must look, standing the rain, struggling to breathe.

Furihata and Fukuda walked out together, and turned in the opposite direction of Akashi. He could still hear their conversation as they headed to their next class. They both sounded confused by Akashi’s friendliness today, but it seemed like Furihata was slightly less frightened then he had been. 

“I see you didn’t kill him,” a voice said behind Akashi, and he very nearly jumped. He’d been so focused on the humans that he hadn’t heard Kuroko approaching him. 

Akashi lifted his chin defensively. “Of course I didn’t. I told you I was fine.”

Kuroko’s lips twitched, and Akashi knew he was withholding some sort of sarcastic comment. Thankfully, he decided to keep it to himself for the time being. 

“How did it go?” he asked instead.

Akashi paused. “Better than expected. It was a bit easier, knowing what to expect.” He swallowed, his throat still burning from the memory. “I was only able to breathe three times,” he admitted. 

Kuroko quirked a brow. He looked over Akashi’s shoulder, at the retreating figure of Furihata’s back. “It’s that bad?”

Akashi didn’t answer. He ran his fingers through his hair, and checked his watch, trying to appear in control. “We’re going to be late. I’ll see you after class.”

He walked away, not meeting Kuroko’s eyes as he passed. He was still too ashamed to fully admit how difficult all this was for him. 

But Furihata was still alive, and that gave Akashi hope. He’d done substantially better today than he had last week, and he tried to cling to that rather than dwelling on all the negatives.

He was successful today. Now he just had to maintain it. 

At the very least, school was no longer as mundane as it had once been. Akashi smile wryly to himself as he walked to his next class. 

No, things had become far more interesting. And it likely wasn’t for the better.


	3. Phenomenon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for vanishing again for a few months. The end of the year wrap-up at work always gets a little crazy. I had more than half of this chapter done for a couple of months now, but I had some difficulties in writing the second half. But I think I finally manged something that I'm happy with, and hopefully you guys like it! 
> 
> Also Happy New Year! I'm hoping to do even more writing this year (I always say that, lmao) and once again, thank you guys for sticking with me! Enjoy! <3

Akashi wasn’t thirsty, but he still decided to go hunting again that night. In the long run, he knew it was useless, but it was one of the few things still under his control. 

And regarding his current situation, he was desperate for any measure of control.

Midorima came with him. They hadn’t spent any time alone since Akashi had returned early Sunday morning, and he hoped Midorima hadn’t noticed that he’d been avoiding him.

They raced through the surrounding forest in silence. That icy rain was still coming down, but they couldn’t really feel it under the protection of the trees. 

Midorima slowed his stride, and Akashi knew he wanted to talk. He was strongly tempted to keep going, to pick up speed and disappear, but he knew it would be futile. He’d already seen the two of them conversing in a vision earlier in the day. Might as well get it over with. 

Resigned, Akashi followed suit, matching Midorima’s pace. They walked along for another several minutes while Midorima gathered his thoughts. 

As much as Akashi didn’t want to have this conversation, a part of him was relieved to have the opportunity to talk to Midorima alone. He was the oldest of them all, both in physical age as well as vampiric age. Midorima was the one who had changed Akashi, and most of the others, and he was the originator of their feeding habits. If anyone could understand Akashi’s pardiciment, it would be him. 

Although, Midorima wasn’t necessarily the best at expressing emotional support, but there again, neither was Akashi. They’d both been raised in rather harsh households, with strict expectations and distant parents. Perhaps they got along the most out of the others because of that. 

Akashi eyed Midorima, and noticed the way his brows were furrowed, his mouth pulling down in the corners. Still mulling things over, it seemed. Akashi decided to spare him. 

“You know,” Akashi began nonchalantly. “I’ve already seen what you want to say to me. Might as well get on with it.”

Midorima tsked, pushing his glasses up his nose, and Akashi chuckled lightly. Even after all these years, he couldn’t resist teasing his closest friend every now and then.

“If you already know what I’m going to ask, then why haven’t you given me an answer?” Midorima shot back, and Akashi’s smile faded. 

“You want to know why I came back,” Akashi said quietly. 

Midorima shook his head. “Not exactly. I can understand why you wanted to return home.” He paused, considering his next words. “I’m more wondering if it was the best idea for you to do so.”

Akashi looked straight forward as he answered, trying to appear unperturbed. “The boy is still alive,” he said. “Is that not good enough?”

“Kuroko said—”

“Kuroko exaggerated,” Akashi said quickly, cutting him off. “He only saw us for a moment, and we were outside. There was no danger.”

Midorima sighed. “I believe you, Akashi. But I’m still concerned. How long will you be able to keep this up?”

“As long as I need to,” he answered coolly. He heard the double meaning under Midorima’s question. “You think I’ll fail.” It was a statement, not a question.

Midorima kept his gaze steady. “Kuroko told me you can’t see his future.”

Akashi tensed, blowing his cover of appearing unfazed. With everything that had happened since last week, it had slipped his mind that the others were aware of his lapse of sight when it came to the Furihata boy. 

“It’s true, then,” Midorima said when Akashi remained silent. 

“It doesn’t mean anything,” Akashi defended sharply. “I couldn’t see his future when I left, either.”

“Perhaps subconsciously you knew you would come back.”

Akashi squeezed his eyes shut, lifting a hand to massage his temples. “So what, I’m doomed to slaughter him regardless of how hard I try? Is that what you’re implying?”

The leaves and debris of the forest crunched beneath their feet. Akashi hated the turmoil that was coursing inside of him. He always prided himself on his control, on always knowing what to do. He felt an irrational urge to get angry, much like a petulant child throwing a tantrum. 

Instead he kept quiet, silently fuming. He could hear the sound of deer moving through the woods further ahead, but he ignored it, his appetite nonexistent. 

“Akashi.” Midorima finally broke the silence. “I’m not doubting you. I hope you know that. I’m only looking at things from a logical perspective.”

Akashi said nothing, so Midorima continued. “You can’t see his future, Akashi. That doesn’t concern you?”

“Of course it concerns me,” Akashi retorted, his tone icy. “I came to you at the hospital. I traveled as far south as I could while staying in the country. I did everything in my power to keep him alive. If I wasn’t concerned I would have followed him home and ended him there.”

Midorima gave a long pause. “And you said you still couldn’t see him while in Kirishima?”

Akashi shook his head. “When I try to look it’s like there’s nothing there. Not even a flicker.”

“And you don’t think that means anything?” Midorima deadpanned.

Akashi met his gaze. “I do, actually,” he replied smugly. 

He spent a lot of time thinking about this bizarre occurrence. Sitting in class with Furihata that first day, Akashi had also assumed he couldn’t see Furihata’s future because he was going to die. But once he got away and really mulled it overt, there was one glaring problem with that scenario. 

“Let me ask you this,” he began. “If I’m going to end up killing the boy, shouldn’t I be able to _ see _ that happening? I have before with the others, in the past. Whether it’s the humans future or, say, Kagami’s… I still see the death. We’ve avoided it before.”

Akashi glanced at Midorima, and he was pleased to see the surprise on his face. It was clear he hadn’t considered that, and Akashi relished in regaining the upper hand. 

“I should still see _ something, _” Akashi continued. “Whether I kill him or not.”

Midorima looked at him with furrowed brows. “I see your point,” he said slowly. He still didn’t look happy about it, Akashi noticed. 

“I’m being careful,” he assured him, in a softer tone. “If it becomes too much… I’m sure I’ll be able to leave again.”

He met Akashi’s gaze for a moment before turning away, adjusting his glasses again, like he always did when he was deep in thought.

“I’ll take your word for it, then,” he finally said. He shot Akashi a glance out of the corner of his eye. “I’ll trust you to make the right decision. You’ve done well so far.”

Normally, Midorima’s praise would have made him feel better, regardless of the situation. But now, there was still a part of him that felt incredibly weak. Almost like he didn’t deserve it.

The deer rustled ahead of them again, and this time Akashi stopped, letting their scent wash over him. He thought of Furihata’s scent, and by comparison the deer’s blood smelled revolting. 

Midorima stopped as well, removing his glasses and tucking them in the front pocket of his shirt. “Shall we?” he asked, nodding his chin in the direction of the animals.

Akashi wrinkled his nose, but sank into a crouch. With as much enthusiasm as he could muster, he bounded into the woods, with Midorima right behind him. 

And he tried very, very hard, not to think of a certain human for next several minutes.

  
  


\----------------------------------------

  
  


As the night passed, the rain slowed, and then came to a stop. The temperature dropped significantly, freezing the liquid and coating everything in a sparkling layer of ice. 

Akashi admired the glistening landscape from the window, watching the sunrise. He was already dressed for school, and he could hear the others moving around the house. 

He felt strangely anxious again. Strange, in that it wasn’t an emotion he generally had any experience with. 

He also found himself thinking of Furihata. Akashi wondered what the boy had made of their interaction yesterday. Did it ease any of the terror he clearly felt? Or did he only succeed in adding to the fear? Was it better to draw more attention to himself by striking up a conversation, or should he have remained silent? 

As the sky turned brighter over the horizon, he decided there was only one way to find out. 

Akashi descended the stairs calmly, making sure his footsteps sounded neither hurried or reluctant. It was incredibly important to him that he maintained his composure around the others. He had no desire to endure their teasing if he failed, but larger than that, they looked up to him as their leader. He needed to set a good example, no matter the difficulty. 

He could not display any weakness in front of them. If he did so, he could lose all of the trust he’d built over the years. 

They all exchanged their usual greetings as they loaded into the car. Kagami was driving today, so Akashi wedged himself into the back with Kise and Katsamatsu. 

He kept his gaze out the window, very pointedly ignoring the looks being cast in his direction. Getting defensive would do him no favors. 

A vision flickered behind his eyes, giving him no warning. He saw glimpses of what appeared to be the hospital, a flash of Midorima walking towards… someone. The image was foggy, not altogether there. Before he could search for more, the vision broke apart and faded away. 

Akashi subtly glanced to the side. No one in the car appeared to have noticed his brief lapse of awareness, which he was grateful for.

He wondered what would cause him to see the hospital. Midorima rarely ran into anything unusual during work. Certainly nothing that would require any of them to assist. The only time Akashi had gone to see Midorima at work unannounced was when—

Akashi stiffened in his seat. Did the vision mean he was doomed to repeat the previous week, with him running to Midorima to escape the overbearing scent again?

Or worse… did a visit to Midorima mean that he would fail?

An image flashed through his head—not a vision, just a product of his own imagination. Furihata, cold and still on an examination table, his body drained of blood…

Akashi forced the thought away. 

No one controlled his future but him. 

They rode in silence, Kagami speeding through the streets. The roads were especially slick this morning, and Kagami was having a bit too much fun drifting around corners.

After a bit of complaining from Kasamatsu, Kagami straightened up, and they arrived at school minutes later. They parked in the back, easily finding a spot.

In the bigger cities, it was common for students to either walk to school, or take some form of public transport. It Akita, the town was small enough that neither option was very feasible, unless students wanted to walk several miles in the snow and rain. Instead, most of them drove themselves, in older model cars that were often passed down from their parents. 

They waited the appropriate amount of time before exiting the car. Everything was always measured, the pace decided from years of practice of blending in. Akashi shut his car door, slinging his bag over his shoulder, and turned to begin walking towards the school. 

His gaze flickered across the parking lot, immediately landing on a pair of large brown eyes staring back at him. There, on the opposite end of the lot, stood Furihata Kouki, hanging on for dear life the door of his Toyota.

Furihata looked away quickly, and Akashi could see the blood rush to his cheeks despite the distance. 

Akashi took note of the direction of the wind, and was relieved that it was coming from behind them. 

He continued to watch Furihata as he unsteadily made his way around to the back of his car, and Akashi found himself fighting back a smile. Furihata was so frail, clumsier than most humans, or so it seemed. Once again, Akashi was overcome with the strangest urge to protect this fragile human. It was irrational for a myriad of reasons, Akashi being a vampire the least of them. 

All at once, his view of Furihata vanished, replaced by another vision. A dark green van, sliding across the icy parking lot, out of control. The van skidded, wheels locked, heading straight towards a beige Toyota, one that looked familiar—

The vision faded just as the sound of screeching tires reached his ears. Akashi watched in increasing horror as the vision he just saw in his head played out before his very eyes. Which meant the van was about the crash right into—

Akashi didn’t think. He raced across the parking lot faster than human eyes could follow, moving in an indistinguishable blur. In one swift movement, he wrapped an arm around Furihata’s waist and pulled him to the ground.. In the same second he threw an arm out just as the van was about to hit them. 

The metal of the door dented around Akashi’s palm, coming to an abrupt halt. The momentum pushed Akashi’s shoulders back against Furihata’s car, molding against the shape of his body, and Akashi kept his arm locked to keep the back tire from crushing Furihata’s outstretched arm. 

There was a long beat of silence. Akashi slowly turned his head, glancing at Furihata over his shoulder. His other arm was still braced protectively over Furihata’s body, and Akashi recoiled, jerking his hand away. He turned to the side and pressed his back against the van, putting as much space between them as he could in the small space.

Furihata’s body was deliciously warm, burning with heat compared to Akashi’s cold skin. He could hear the racing beat of Furihata’s heart, pounding wildly in his chest. 

Akashi hadn’t taken a breath since running across the parking lot. He didn’t dare breathe now. 

If Furihata had scraped his skin on the pavement… if he was bleeding…

Akashi’s throat burned dryly. He turned his attention to Furihata’s face, desperate to distract himself from that particular train of thought. 

Furihata was staring at him, his eyes blown wide. He was laying on his side, propped up on one arm. His gaze slid to the side, and Akashi followed his line of sight. 

There, in the metal of the door, in clear view to Furihata, was a very distinct hand print.

If blood still flowed in his veins, it would be ice cold. 

Akashi shifted sideways, blocking the hand print from Furihata’s view. His mind raced as he struggled to think of something to say, of a way to smooth things over.

As if that were possible, with all the damage he’d done.

“Are you all right?” he blurted, for lack of anything better to say. 

Furihata blinked dumbly for a long moment. “I—I think so?” He began to push himself upright, only to wince, bringing a hand up to touch the side of his head. 

“Did you hit your head?” Akashi asked, concern leaking into his voice. Had he taken Furihata to the ground harder than he meant?

What if he made things worse, by trying to save him? Humans were so delicate...

Furihata rubbed a spot near his temple. “I— I’m not sure. I think—” He blinked, and looked at Akashi again with wide eyes. “How did you even get over here? You were by your car…”

Years of practice allowed Akashi to maintain his composure. He tilted his head, furrowing his brows in mock confusion. “What do you mean? I was standing right next to you.”

Furihata’s face fell. “Oh. But… but I thought— I _ swear _ I saw you next to your car.”

Students were starting to scream as the reality settled. The two of them were still hidden from view, but that wouldn’t last long. He could already hear the sirens in the distance.

“I was right here with you, Furihata-kun.” Akashi held his gaze, speaking with sincerity. “Your head is just a little fuzzy, that’s all.”

“But…” Furihata frowned. “But— y-you stopped the van,” he stammered. “With your hand. I _ saw _ it, and—”

Akashi raised a skeptical brow. “You think I stopped a moving vehicle with my bare hands?” Furihata gave a hesitant nod, and Akashi forced a laugh. “You must have hit your head harder than I thought.”

Furihata flushed with embarrassment, lowering his head. “I know what I saw,” he murmured quietly.

The sirens were close now, pulling into the school. He was almost out of time. 

“You didn’t see—”

“I did,” Furihata cut him off. He had that strangely determined look again, like the one he wore yesterday when he defended his decision to move here. 

The vehicles were being pulled apart. It was now or never. Furihata could expose them all…

“Please,” Akashi begged, as a last effort. 

Furihata opened his mouth just as the van was pulled out of the way. Paramedics rushed in, and Akashi was quick to stand up and move out of the way. One of them reached out to him, and Akashi raised his hands, backing up against the van again. 

“I’m perfectly fine,” he assured the man. He gestured to Furihata. “I pulled Furihata-kun out of the way, but I think he hit his head on the way down.”

The paramedic looked like he was about to object, but another man cut him off with a voice Akashi recognized from the hospital. “Don’t worry about him, that’s Midorima-san’s brother.” He looked to Akashi. “You should still ride along and get checked out.”

Akashi nodded. “Of course.” 

Both men turned their attention back to Furihata, leaving Akashi unobserved for the moment. While they loaded Furihata onto a stretcher, Akashi shifted carefully to the side, and as quietly as he could, reached behind his back and bent the metal of the door into an indistinguishable dent. 

He slipped away after that. Teachers had the students pushed back, ushering them to get to class. Another team of paramedics were pulling the driver out of the van, a senior by the name of Hyuuga Junpei. His girlfriend, Aida Riko, was being held back by the gym teacher, but she was putting up quite the fight, from the look of it. 

Akashi breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone involved seem to only have minor injuries. Or so he hoped. He wouldn’t know about Furihata’s head wound until they got to the hospital. 

For a moment, Akashi considered disappearing into the nearby woods. No one would see him, and it would give him time to come up with a plan. 

But the paramedics would remember him, and right now the last thing he needed to do was draw more attention to himself. He would be in enough trouble as it was…

At least his vision from earlier, of himself talking to Midorima, made sense now. For a moment he felt relief, that he wouldn’t be visiting him because of murder. 

Furihata may be safe, but now they were all in danger. 

Hesitantly, he glanced over at his family, where they were all still standing motionless around the car. Kise and Kuroko both wore genuine looks of concern, whether for his own safely, or for the lives of the humans involved, he wasn’t sure. Probably the humans, knowing them. 

Kasamatsu had his arms folded against the roof of the car, his head resting on his forearms. He looked relaxed, but even across the distance of the parking lot Akashi could see his hands were balled into fists, his shoulders tense and rigid. 

And Kagami was, well… being Kagami. His lips were twisted into a snarl, the anger written clear on his face. Akashi was sure the risk of exposure was the only thing stopping him for storming over and starting a real fight. Akashi always won when they fought, but that wouldn’t stop Kagami from trying.

Akashi turned away and stood beside the ambulance. He watched as first Hyuuga, and then Furihata were loaded into the back. Akashi rode in the front of the one Furihata was in, purposely making small talk with the driver. He told his cover story, making sure to put emphasis on the fact that he had been talking to Furihata before the accident, and had pulled him out of the way. 

“He seemed rather disoriented when it was over,” he made sure to add. “He didn’t remember any of our conversation from beforehand. It was like he didn’t even know I was there.”

When the arrived at the hospital, Akashi made straight for Midorima’s office. He gave one impatient knock, and pulled the door open, stepping inside and swiftly closing it again. 

Midorima didn’t look surprised to see him, although he did look on edge. He probably recognized Akashi’s footsteps, but didn’t know why he was here. 

Before Akashi could say anything, Midorima spoke. “You didn’t kill him, did you?” he asked, his tone heavily implying that he thought the opposite. Akashi bristled automatically. 

“No, I didn’t kill him,” he said bitterly. He raised his chin. “As a matter of fact, I just saved his life.”

Midorima raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. 

“I saw it in a vision. Well, the beginning of it. It faded quickly… “ Akashi was speaking fast, an urgency creeping into his tone. “Another student lost control while driving, and it was going to crash right into him.” 

“Into who?” Midorima asked. 

“Him. Furihata-kun.” Akashi swallowed, trying to rationalize his actions. He didn’t know if trying to save one life was justifiable enough to put them all at risk. “If he had been hit… if his blood had spilled… I don’t know if I could have resisted.”

While that was true, it was also a lie. Akashi hadn’t thought about the blood until Furihata was already safe. Looking back, he couldn’t pinpoint what had made him act the way he had. He had bolted across the parking lot without a second thought, his only concern to save Furihata, the human with the delicious scent who had taken Akashi by surprise at their every interaction. 

Midorima had his eyes closed and was massaging his forehead. “How many humans saw you?”

“As far as I’m aware, none saw me running, I’m sure of it.”

Midorima met his gaze. “And the Furihata boy?”

Akashi hesitated. “I believe he may have seen everything,” he answered quietly. “At least, he thinks he did.”

“What do you mean? Did he see you or not?”

“He hit his head,” Akashi snapped. “I’m persuading him to believe that I was standing next to him just before the accident occurred. I’ve already convinced the paramedics.”

Another partial lie. Furihata was proving rather difficult to convince, but Akashi was still holding out that it was possible. 

Midorima relaxed slightly. “Well, it sounds like you did everything right.” He stood from his desk, and began polishing his glasses against his coat. “Although I’m surprised you considered saving him at all.”

Akashi resisted the urge to get angry again. “I fail to see what’s so surprising about it.”

“Well, you’ve never been particularly fond of humans to begin with,” he began. Akashi couldn’t deny that. He wasn’t friendly with them like Kise or Kuroko, and didn’t attempt to join them in any activities, like Kagami or Kasamatsu. 

Midorima went on, “And especially with this boy. Wouldn’t it be easier for you if he was gone? You could have been rid of him without having to dirty your hands. And instead you saved him.”

It was true, Akashi had to admit. Wasn’t it only last week that he had been wishing for that very thing? For the boy to vanish, and leave Akashi to his peace?

Akashi stood quietly for a moment. “He deserves better than that,” he finally said. It was the only thing he could say that made any sense of how he was feeling. 

Midorima nodded, and moved around his desk. He paused at the door, looking over his shoulder. 

“You did the right thing, Akashi.”

Akashi nodded. It felt right, but also impossible wrong at the same time. He had saved Furihata’s life, but had put his family in danger to do it. 

Midorima swept out of the door. “I suppose we should go smooth things over.”

Akashi followed him down the hallway. His nervousness grew, the closer they got to the rooms. Would Furihata be afraid? Was he injured? Would he panic and blurt the truth before Akashi had a chance to stop him?

Midorima stopped to talk to one of the paramedics. He gestured to Akashi as he grabbed a clipboard. “Why don’t you go in first and set things up,” he said quietly. “He’s already put up in room four.”

Akashi kept walking. He found room four easily enough. He paused briefly outside the door, listening. He only heard one heartbeat, so he took a deep breath, held it, and walked into the room.

An array of emotions played across Furihata’s face. First he looked nervous, but when he saw it was Akashi, he relaxed a little. A second later and he looked nervous again, ducking his head and folding his hands together. 

Akashi entered the room slowly, letting the door close quietly behind him. He moved around carefully to sit on the edge of the second bed, facing Furihata.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, keeping his voice soft.

“I’m f-fine,” Furihata said, not lifting his gaze. Whatever bravado he had after the accident was gone. Perhaps the adrenaline had worn off, leaving him back to his shy self. 

Akashi tried again. “How’s your head?”

“Fine, I t-think,” he stammered, giving much the same answer.

Furihata seemed incredibly uncomfortable, Akashi noticed. He wondered what could have changed his attitude so drastically on the ride over. 

Akashi fell silent. He was supposed to be attempting to smooth things over, but once again, Furihata was making things difficult. 

He was beginning to question if things would ever be easy, when it came to Furihata Kouki.

“I—I’m not gonna t-tell,” Furihata said suddenly. His voice was tight, and Akashi realized that he was afraid. 

Akashi was stunned. Of all the possibilities, he never considered that Furihata would be _ afraid _. Afraid of the superhuman stunt he’d just witnessed, perhaps. But he seemed to fear Akashi taking some sort of action to keep him quiet. 

“So, y-you don’t need to w-worry about that,” Furihata stammered on. He hunched his shoulders up towards his ears, practically shrinking on the bed. 

Akashi felt a sharp pang of guilt. Why could he never seem to do anything right, when it came to this human boy?

“I’m not here about that,” Akashi said, in the gentlest voice he could. “I’m here to see if you’re alright.”

Furihata glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “I think I’m o-okay.” He swallowed hard, looked at Akashi from under his hair. “Thanks,” he said timidly. “For s-saving me, I mean.”

“Of course,” Akashi said. “There’s no need to thank me. I’m just glad you’re not injured.”

It was true, Akashi realized. He was glad this Furihata boy hadn’t been killed in front of his eyes. Even at the risk of his family. 

There was a long pause of silence, and then Furihata was speaking again. “You saved me,” he said again, his voice shaking slightly. “S-So I won’t say anything. About what h-happened. I p-promise I won’t. Okay?”

Furihata met his eyes for the first time, and an understanding passed between them. Furihata knew that Akashi had saved him in an inhuman way, and Akashi knew that Furihata was promising to keep his secret, whether out of fear or loyalty, Akashi couldn’t tell. 

It was the best option he had, at the moment. He might as well go along with it. 

Akashi nodded, and tried to give Furihata what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He didn’t return it — instead he lowered his gaze back to his lap, still fidgeting anxiously with the hem of his sweatshirt. 

“Is something wrong?” Akashi asked. He didn’t know why Furihata still seemed afraid. He was hoping they were past that, after their little talk. 

Furihata made a nervous sound, almost a laugh but not quite. “Sorry,” he apologized, for a reason Akashi couldn’t fathom. “I just, u-um… I don’t really like hospitals all that much.”

“Ah,” Akashi said in understanding. It wasn’t a fear he could sympathize with, but he knew it was common enough in humans. “You don't need to worry,” he assured Furihata, once again feeling the strong urge to comfort him. He could hear Midoima’s footsteps approaching. “I happen to know the doctor here quite well, actually.”

Just then, there was a knock, and Midorima entered the room. He watched as Furihata looked at him, and his jaw fell, eyes blowing wide. His eyes flickered to Akashi and then back to Midorima rapidly, and Akashi knew he had made the connection. 

“This is my older brother, Midorima Shintarou,” Akashi introduced. 

“Good morning, Furihata Kouki,” Midorima greeted. He walked right up to the side of the bed, and Akashi was quick to suck in a breath of fresh air as he passed. “How are we feeling today?”

“F-Fine,” Furihata stammered. He blinked, and ducked his head back down. 

Midorima flipped through some paperwork before setting the clipboard down. “Your x -rays look good. I’m just going to check a few things, and then we’ll get you out of here.”

Furihata nodded. “Okay,” he said nervously.

Midorima stepped forward, and reached out, gently taking Furihata’s head into his hands. As he poked around Furihata’s temples and checked his eyes, Akashi found himself feeling a little strange as he observed the two of them. 

He knew it had something to do with how easily Midorima could touch him, while Akashi was barely able to breath in his presence. 

The memory of how Furihata’s body felt against his was easy enough to remember, but it had all happened so fast, and it didn’t help that Akashi had been in a panic to save his life. He hadn’t hurt him, but he also hadn’t really been worried about that, in the moment. He wasn’t sure if he’d be capable of doing it again, without losing control. 

“Everything looks to be normal,” Midorima said. “Although you came very close to a concussion.” As he scribbled some notes on his paperwork, Akashi saw Furihata take a sigh of relief. 

Midorima helped Furihata swing his legs over the side of the bed. “You’re all clear to go. I believe your father is in the waiting room.” Furihata winced at that, but he quickly cleared his throat and asked a question.

“Is Hyuuga-kun okay?” His tone was full of worry, and Akashi noticed the way his eyes flickered over to him. 

Midorima nodded. “They’re about to bring him in, actually.” He gestured to the bed Akashi was sitting on. “But I believe he’s stable.”

“I saw them pull him out of the van,” Akashi added. “He was conscious and speaking. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

Furihata looked relieved. He stood up and wobbled on his feet, and Akashi resisted the urge to reach out and steady him. 

Midorima caught him instead, and Akashi felt another bizarre surge of envy. 

Perhaps it was because he hated appearing weak. It bothered him that Midorima could do something that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to do. At least not without putting Furihata in even more danger than he was already in. 

“You were very lucky,” Midorima was saying. “It sounds like things could have ended much worse.”

Furihata flinched slightly. “Y-Yeah,” he said. He nervously glanced over at Akashi. “It was all because of A-Akashi-kun.”

Akashi and Midorima exchanged a look. Midorima pushed his glasses up his nose. “Yes, it certainly sounds that way. It’s very fortunate that he was there with you when it happened.”

Furihata’s heartbeat stuttered in his chest. “Y-Y-Yeah, he was there,” he stammered shakily. “He s-saved me. Because we w-were talking. By my car.”

He threw an anxious glance towards Akashi, almost desperately trying to please him with his answer. He was a horrible liar, Akashi had to admit, but he tried to give him a reassuring smile regardless. 

There was a banging of commotion in the hallway, and Akashi realized they were about to bring Hyuuga in. And he was probably bleeding. 

“Well, if everything is alright, I suppose I should get back to class,” Akashi said. He stood up to make for the door, when Midorima called him back. 

“Why don’t you walk Furihata-kun up front for me?” Midorima suggested. “I’m sure his father is here by now, and I need to prepare for the other patient.”

Akashi heard the hidden message— _ there are a lot of witnesses, so don’t kill him _.

“Of course,” Akashi agreed. He wasn’t entirely sure it was the best idea, but there was no way around it. “Are you ready?” he asked Furihata.

Furihata gave a hesitant nod, and moved to stand closer to Akashi. He could feel the heat of is body pulsing against his own, and tried not to focus on that. Especially considering there was a very real chance he would need to take a breath soon. 

Midorima wished them well, and Akashi led the way towards the door. It was just in time, because they were about to bring Hyuuga in. He was conscious on the gurney, covered in small cuts and scrapes. The sight of fresh blood made Akashi’s throat ache, and he quickly turned around and led the way down the hall. 

Furihata followed meekly behind him. Akashi tried to think of something to say, but the awkwardness was evident in the air. When they reached the door to the waiting room, Akashi paused, drawing in the tiniest breath through his mouth.

The scent burned it’s way down his throat, and Akashi struggled to ignore it. He tried to hide his discomfort as a cough. 

“Take care of yourself,” Akashi said, trying to sound sincere. The scent was still fresh in his mind. “I’ll see you tomorrow in class, if you’re feeling up to it.”

Furihata stared at him, still wide-eyed with nerves. Against his better judgement, Akashi took the smallest step towards him. Furihata stumbled half a step back. 

Akashi gave an understanding nod. “Please, don’t cause yourself any unnecessary stress. You have nothing to worry about, I assure you.” He gave Furihata the friendliest smile he could manage at the moment, and swept out of the door, to the parking lot. 

It was easy enough to slip between the cars unnoticed, and headed towards the forest that was never far away. He disappeared between the trees, and broke into a sprint. 

He didn’t stop running for a long time. 


	4. Misdirection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry for the wait! Although I did manage to update a 4 year old fic in between, so at least there's that, lol! This chapter is a little shorter then the others, but that's because it's mostly just filler in between two scenes. On the bright side, more characters finally show up! Which scares me, since most of them are ones I haven't written before. So I apologize in advance if anyone seems a little off, lol. 
> 
> At this point I'm officially quarantined from my job for two weeks. We didn't shut down, but I did suddenly get sick last week with what may or may not be the virus that's going around. I had quite a few of the symptoms, but at this point I'm just stuck with the dry cough, which is awful. But! It means I have more time to write, now that I can semi-function. I hope you're all staying safe, and I'll see you guys soon! Enjoy! <3

Against every instinct he had, Akashi went back to school.

It was the last place he wanted to be, but after his selfish behavior this morning, he shouldn’t complain. Now that he knew Furihata was safe, he needed to do the same for his family.

A nagging voice in his head told him that his family should have come first, but he stubbornly ignored it. What was done, was done, and the only thing left to do was to try to fix it to the best of his abilities. 

He raced through the forest, stopping at the fringe of the treeline. The parking lot looked clear from what he could see. Hyuuga’s car had been towed away, while Furihata sat in the same spot. His father was probably coming to pick it up after taking Furihata home and checking on him. Other than a slight dent in Furihata’s door, it appeared undamaged. 

It was from his shoulder, and Akashi briefly considered trying to straighten it out. He quickly thought better of it.

Better to not take any more risks.

When he saw no humans in sight, Akashi emerged from the trees, quickly crossing the parking lot. It was halfway through second period, so he made his way towards the math building, with his shared class with Kise. 

Everyone turned to look at him when he opened the door, and Akashi carefully ignored them, particularly his yellow-haired brother. The teacher flagged him over to his desk at once and began questioning him in a hushed tone. 

“You were at the hospital, right?” Hashimoto-sensei asked in a worried tone. “How are Furihata-kun and Hyuuga-kun?”

Akashi feigned concern. He needed to be convincing if he was going to sell this story. “They’re both doing well, from what I heard. Hyuuga-kun had a few cuts, but was otherwise in good shape.”

“And Furihata-kun?” he pressed. 

Akashi let his frown deepen. “I think he’ll be fine. I was with him when the car hit and managed to pull him out of the way. He was relatively unscathed, but may have hit his head. I heard he may have a concussion, and was talking oddly, seeing things even.”

_ Like, for instance, someone crossing a parking lot with inhuman speed, and then stopping and lifting a full-sized vehicle with one hand. _

Hashimoto-sensei’s brows furrowed. “Well, I’m glad everyone is alright. And thank god you were there to help.”

Akashi nodded, and made his way to his seat next to Kise. He felt satisfied with how the story had played out. It was believable, and he had the connection at the hospital to make it even more solid. 

Now he just had to hope that Furihata played along…

The class continued, and Akashi quickly tuned him out. He could feel Kise’s eyes on him, and he finally turned his head to meet that gaze. 

Kise didn’t look as angry as he expected. Instead he looked concerned, and a little curious. Akashi bit back a wince at the probable reasoning behind that. 

“Why?” Kise asked, low enough that no humans could hear. His lips barely moved. He turned back to the front of the class. 

Akashi followed suit. “I’ll explain later.”

“Kagami’s pissed,” Kise murmured quietly. 

Akashi brushed him off. “I’ll handle him later.”

“No, like… he’s _ really _ pissed.”

“What do you—”

Akashi cut off, a vision clouding his view. He saw Kagami, racing through the woods. He broke through the treeline, and there was a house, with a car in the driveway with a dent in the driver's side door…

Akashi barely restrained the snarl that threatened to spill from his lips. He made a strangled sort of noise, and a few students in front of him turned to look over their shoulders. They quickly turned back around when they saw his dark expression. 

“Chill,” Kise hissed. He hesitated for a moment before adding, “I mean, you did kind of bring this on yourself.”

“So I should have let him die?” Akashi retorted under his breath. 

There was a pause. “Well… no,” Kise said quietly. 

Akashi sighed, massaging his temples. “I’ll take care of it. There’s nothing for anyone to be concerned about.”

“We trust you, Akashacchi. I’m sure everyone will calm down once you talk to them.” He hesitated for a moment. “We’re all just a little, you know… confused.”

Akashi knew why, of course. Aside from the fact that he had endangered his entire family, it was also incredibly out of character for him in general. If any of them were going to risk exposure to save a human, Akashi would be the last on the list. 

The only logical excuse he could come up with to defend his actions was the fact that had Furihata been hit, with his blood flowing freely on the pavement, Akashi wouldn’t have been able to resist. He knew the others wouldn’t argue with him on that point. 

But Akashi had only thought of that excuse after. In the moment, seeing the car headed towards Furihata, Akashi had acted without thinking, only knowing that he couldn’t bear to watch Furihata die. 

Akashi started to tell Kise he would explain after class when the teacher called on him for a question. He’d half been listening, and gave the appropriate answer. 

They didn’t get another opportunity to talk for the rest of the class, which Akashi was more than a little grateful for. 

He knew the real confrontation would be waiting for him at home. 

The rest of the day passed in a blur. A few more of his teachers were brave enough to ask him about the accident, and what he knew. He gave the same story each time, that no one was seriously hurt, and that he’d been with Furihata when it happened, and that he hit his head and may have been seeing things. 

No one questioned the story, and by the end of the day, it seemed like everyone had heard some version of it. Akashi let himself relax slightly. 

All that was left to deal with was his family. He’d been avoiding them all day, rushing between classes. But now as the final bell for the day rang, he knew his time was up. 

He opted to run home through the forest rather than endure the car ride. He beat the others home, and made his way to the western-style dining room, with a large table big enough for all of them to gather around. He picked a spot near the head of the table, crossed his arms, and waited. 

Akashi wasn’t one to run away from confrontation. He was fully prepared to defend his decision, and would do whatever it took to fix the situation. 

Well, anything but one. The vision of Kagami ran through his head again, a flash of anger burning through him. 

He wouldn’t let Kagami hurt Furihata. That was a fact he was sure of. 

A few minutes later and Kise, Kasamatsu, Kagami, and Kuroko arrived home. The front door slammed open, and angry footsteps stormed down the entryway. 

Kagami was the first through the door, a snarl already twisting his expression. He spotted Akashi on the other side of the table, and started his way. 

Akashi tensed. If Kagami wanted a fight—”

Suddenly Kuroko was there, standing in front of Kagami and stopping him with a hand to his chest. 

“Outta my way,” Kagami hissed, eyes locked on Akashi. 

“Why?” Kuroko asked calmly. “So you can get into a fight with Akashi-kun? You know you won’t win.”

Kagami growled. “I don’t care! He exposed us! Are we just supposed to let him—”

“Yes,” Katsamatsu interrupted from the doorway. “That’s exactly what we’re going to do. What are you going to do, Kagami, kill him?”

Kagami didn’t answer, just continued to glare at Akashi from across the room. 

“Exactly,” Katsamatsu said. He pushed himself off of the door frame, a deep frown etched onto his face. “It’s already done. All we can do now is figure out what we do from here.”

Kagami took a step back from Kuroko. “Fine. If I can’t go after Akashi, then I guess I’ll have to take care of the problem myself.”

A growl ripped itself from Akashi’s chest, deafening in the room. 

“You will not touch him,” he ordered, his voice dangerously calm. 

“He’s a threat to us,” Kagami snarled. “If you’re too weak to take him out then one of us will have to clean up after you.”

Akashi bristled in spite of himself. He shifted into a crouch, his lip curling over his teeth. 

“Hey, guys?” That was Kise, who’d been silent since entering the room. “Maybe we should go outside. There’s a lot of breakable things in here.”

Neither of them moved. The tension in the room was palpable as they sized each other up. Akashi remained unfazed. Kagami had yet to beat him, and Akashi had never lost a fight to anyone. This would be painfully easy. 

Suddenly, a new set of footsteps reached their ears. Akashi ignored it, keeping his eyes on Kagami, tracking his every move. 

Kagami shifted his weight slightly, and Akashi moved to counteract it, ready to spring—

“Hey kids!” A loud, cheerful voice cut in. “I sure hope we’re not about to rip each other's limbs off in the middle of our nice, clean dining room.”

Kagami grumbled, and straightened. Akashi hesitated, holding his ground.

Takao strode into the room, unperturbed by the tension. He grinned easily as he kicked back in one of the chairs, crossing his ankles on the table. 

“This isn’t about that human kid, is it?” he asked. 

There was a long pause as they all exchanged glances.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Takao laughed. “I thought we already figured all that nonsense out?” Shin-chan called and told me everything.”

“Really?” Kagami scoffed. “He told you Akashi acted like a total idiot in front of the entire school?”

Akashi rolled his eyes, and Takao laughed. “If by ‘acting like an idiot’ you mean ‘saving a human life’ then yes, that’s what he told me. It’s a seriously weird thing for Akashi to do, I admit, but yeah.”

“And we’re not gonna do anything about it?” Kagami asked, looking around the room. 

“What’s there to do?” Takao shrugged. “The kid is fine, and from the sound of it, he’s the only one who saw anything. Shin-chan has been spending the whole day telling anyone who will listen the fake story, and I assume Akashi’s been doing the same.” He looked at Akashi, who nodded. “See? There’s nothing to worry about. If the kid runs his mouth, we’ll worry about it then.”

“He won’t talk,” Akashi added with confidence. “He was quite frightened when we left the hospital, and I believe he’s afraid of us, even more so now that he knows there’s something… wrong with us.”

“Wrong with _ you, _” Kagami muttered under his breath. Akashi ignored him.

Katsamatus stepped forward, his arms crossed over his chest. “I’m in agreement with leaving it for now.” He leveled his gaze at Akashi. “But I think we need to prepare in the event he _ does _ talk. We’ll have to do something about it.”

“I won’t allow him to be harmed,” Akashi growled. “We have nothing to worry about. He’s very timid. He won’t cross us, I’m sure of it.”

“We can’t—”

Akashi glowered. “You don’t know him.”

“Do you?” Kasamatsu deadpanned. 

Akashi opened his mouth to defend himself, but found that he couldn’t. Because no, he didn’t know Furihata. Certainly not to a degree where he could make declarations about his character. 

Bizarrely, he found himself wishing he could know Furihata, on some level. Even though that was entirely impossible, given the circumstances. 

Regardless, he wasn’t going to allow Furihata to pay the price for his mistake. Not that Akashi considered saving his life a mistake. Honestly, he wasn’t quite sure what the right thing to do would have been in that situation. 

When it seemed like the argument was about to escalate once again, Kuroko stepped forward, raising his hand. “Excuse me, but I have an idea that I think will solve our problem.”

Everyone fell silent. Akashi wasn’t particularly worried, since he trusted whatever Kuroko’s plan entailed would involve leaving Furihata alive. Out of all of them, Kuroko had the most respect for human life. In fact, it wouldn’t have surprised any of them if Kuroko had been the one to risk exposure to save Furihata.

“Well,” Takao drawled when no one spoke up. “You gonna spit it out or make us guess?”

“It’s simple,” Kuroko said, his expression blank. “I’m sure one of you would have thought of it had you not been in such a hurry to kill each other.”

Kagami grumbled under his breath, and Akashi narrowed his eyes. He was sure he’d thought of everything…

“When Furihata-kun returns to school tomorrow, why don’t I simply misdirect him?”

Akashi blinked. Perhaps he hadn’t been as through as he thought. 

Everyone exchanged sheepish glances, and it was clear that he wasn’t the only one who had missed it.

Takao threw his head back, cackling loudly. “Oh man, this just keeps getting better and better!” He pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. “I can’t wait to tell Shin-chan. You all think you’re a bunch of brainiacs, but look at you! Forgetting shit like a human.” He laughed again, and stood up, brushing his hands together. “Looks like this is all taken care of. I’ll see you guys later!”

He zipped out of the room, leaving the five of them alone. Kuroko appeared expressionless, but Akashi thought he could see the tiniest hint of a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. 

He met Akashi’s gaze, and the smile disappeared. He gave Akashi a very pointed look. It was gone in a flash, and Akashi was sure Kuroko was trying to tell him something. 

_ Well, that was interesting. I wonder what…? _

Kagami wasn’t ready to let it go. “I still don’t like it. What if that doesn’t work?”

There was an awkward pause. Kise broke the silence with a muffled laugh, his hand pressed over his mouth. Kasamatsu dropped his head into his hands.

“What?” Kagami asked, confused. Kise giggled again, and even Akashi had a hard time keeping a smile off his face. 

Kagami’s brow twitched, his lip curling in anger. Before he could bust, Kuroko turned to face him, his arms folded. 

“I didn’t realize you had so little faith in me, Kagami-kun.” Kuroko frowned. “I’m hurt.”

Kagami’s eyes widened. “What? No! I didn’t— I mean, you know that’s not what I meant.” He reached out for Kuroko, who took a step back. “Kuroko…”

“Excuse me, but I need some time alone.” Kuroko threw a quick glance over his shoulder, looking directly at Akashi again. “I’m going hunting,” he said to no one in particular, but Akashi heard what he was really trying to convey.

_ Follow me. _

Kuroko zipped around Kagami, who stood there, frozen. His brow twitched at the rapid turn of events. 

“I’ve gotta hand it to you,” Kasamatsu said, shaking his head. “That was impressive even for _ you_.”

Kise snickered again, and Kagami leaned over the table, pointing an accusing finger at the blond. “Oi! How the hell did everyone turn on me when Akashi is the one who—”

“Because it’s under control, idiot.” Kasamatsu crossed his arms. “At this point you’re just trying to pick a fight with him. Which we all know is pointless, because Akashi’s just going to kick your ass like he always does.”

Kagami growled and mumbled something under his breath that suspiciously sounded like ‘_ cheater _’. Akashi resisted the strong urge to roll his eyes. Kagami always thought that Akashi’s ability was unfair, but it was just as much a part of him as Kagami’s ridiculous jumping ability was a part of him. 

“Fine,” Kagami said. “But if the kid snitches, don’t blame me.” 

He approached Akashi, and roughly shouldered past him. Akashi growled, low in his throat. He was tempted to turn and give Kagami the fight he wanted. But then he remembered Kuroko, and the strange look he’d given him before he left the room. 

Kasamatsu left next, with Kise not far behind. Kise lingered in the doorway for a moment, wearing a concerned frown. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he left the room without saying anything. 

Quite honestly, Akashi was grateful. This discussion had gone far better than he expected, even if the outcome was the same. The sword had been removed from above Furihata’s head, at least for the time being. And if needed, there was always the option Kuroko proposed. 

Speaking of which…

Akashi headed back out the front door, and quickly made his way into the woods that surrounded their home. He could hear Kagami upstairs in his room, and Kise and Kasamatsu talking near the back of the house. Takao sounded like he was on the phone with Midorima again, informing him of the conversation and almost-fight he’d missed. 

With no one paying him any attention, he circled the house until he picked up Kuroko’s scent. Akashi followed it through the trees, growing more surprised at how far out Kuroko had gone. 

Whatever he wanted to say, he must not want anyone else to hear, Akashi realized. 

He quickened his pace, and then came to an abrupt halt when Kuroko’s scent suddenly vanished. Akashi stopped and spun in a circle, confused, when a voice called out above him. 

“I knew Akashi-kun would come and find me.”

Akashi glanced up, and there was Kuroko, perched high up in a tree. His expression was as blank as ever, and Akashi couldn’t read anything from him. 

“Of course,” Akashi said, suspicion laced through his voice.. “Was there something you wanted to discuss?”

Kuroko was silent for a long moment. Finally, when Akashi’s patience was nearing its end, he spoke, his voice soft.

“I’m surprised you didn’t think about using my misdirection sooner,” he said carefully. “I would have guessed you to have been the first.”

Akashi’s eyes narrowed. “I guess I’ve had a busy day,” he said with a hint of sarcasm. “I hope you’ll forgive my lapse in judgment.”

Kuroko continued as though Akashi hadn’t spoken. “I assumed you would look to my ability next, seeing as how your own doesn’t work with Furihata-kun.”

Akashi blinked. It was true that he hadn’t thought of Kuroko’s ability. Despite failed attempts, he supposed it was also strange that he hadn’t even considered trying to see if Furihata would tell others. 

“It’s like I said,” Akashi began, hoping he didn’t come across as defensive as he felt. “I had a lot to cover today. I apologize for—”

Akashi trailed off. Kuroko was looking at him, unblinking. Akashi got the distinct impression that he was missing something. 

He was growing increasingly impatient. His own ability was useless on Furihata, so of course he hadn’t instantly thought to check the future. He would have thought of Kuroko’s if he’d been given more time. He must have been so occupied trying to think of a solution that he missed the simple answer.

Or… was it simple?

Suddenly, several things occurred to him at once. His eyes snapped up to Kuroko. “My ability doesn’t work on him.”

“You think yours won’t either.”

Kuroko said nothing. He shifted, and let himself drop out of the tree. He landed on the balls of his feet in front of Akashi, dusting himself off. 

“It’s not that,” Kuroko corrected, and Akashi tilted his head. “I _ know _ it won’t work.”

“How?” Akashi growled, annoyance creeping into his voice. Kuroko could be particularly cryptic at times, but never this bad. 

Kuroko blinked, unfazed. “I know, because I’ve already tried.” Before Akashi could ask, Kuroko continued. “I was curious, after you discovered that yours didn’t work. I decided to test it out when you left for Kirishima right after Furihata-kun arrived.”

Akashi was taken aback. “You spoke to him?”

He didn’t know why the idea bothered him so much. Out of all of them, Kuroko was perhaps the safest one to be close to. He’d never tasted human blood, and it seemed like his lack of presence made it easier for him to fit in with their classmates. Humans were far more comfortable around Kuroko than any of the others, by far.

Kuroko wouldn’t hurt Furihata, he was sure. So why did he feel so uneasy knowing they had spoken?

Was it because Kuroko was able to talk to Furihata without having to constantly worry about killing him?

“I did,” Kuroko said, pulling Akashi out of his thoughts. He studied Akashi for a long moment. ‘Is that okay with you?”

Akashi cleared his throat. “Of course,” he said quickly. “And what took place during this conversation?”

“He joined the library committee, so I approached him there,” Kuroko said. “We spoke normally, although he was very quiet at first. He seemed afraid, but I guessed that was because of my association with you.” Kuroko threw him a glance, and Akashi remembered that first day. He couldn’t blame Furihata for being afraid after that.

Kuroko continued. “But gradually he became more comfortable, and we started talking. I asked him how he was liking the school. He’s a very kind person.” Kuroko smiled, and Akashi felt another bizarre surge of envy. 

“And… when you tried to misdirect?” Akashi asked. 

“It was strange.” Kuroko shook his head. “I was able to get inside his head, but I couldn’t touch the memories. It was like they weren’t there.”

“That’s what trying to see his future is like,” Akashi added. “I can see the visions, but it’s like there’s a hole where he should be. More like a mirage than a vision.”

They stood in silence for a moment. Finally, Akashi couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you step forward and tell the others if you knew it wouldn’t work?”

Kuroko hesitated. “Because I don’t want Furihata-kun to be harmed. He’s a good person, and I truly don’t believe he will talk. I don’t like lying to them but it was the only way I saw to get everyone to back down.” He smiled a bit in amusement. “You were doing a pretty poor job of convincing them, you know.”

Akashi rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t quite hold back a small laugh. It still amused him after all these years, how Kuroko was one of the rare few who would speak to him in that way. 

“Yes, well, things would have gone a lot smoother if your thick-skulled mate could listen and talk at the same time.” Akashi teased.

Kuroko’s lips quirked in a smile. “You have a point,” he allowed. He gave Akashi a curious look. “If I may ask… why did you save him, Akashi-kun? It’s very unlike you.”

Akashi was strongly tempted to lie. To tell the story he’d been crafting all day, about his fear that he wouldn’t be able to resist Furihata’s split blood. 

Strangely, however, he found himself wanting to tell the truth. If anyone would understand, it would be Kuroko. “I— I’m not entirely sure,” Akashi said slowly. “I acted before I fully thought about it. In the moment, I just…” He swallowed loudly, and lowered his gaze. “I couldn’t bear to watch him die.”

There was a long beat of silence. Akashi found he couldn’t quite lift his head to look at Kuroko. He hated having to admit to any sort of weakness, regardless of how necessary it might have been.

Akashi paused. Was it weak of him to save Furihata? Not the act itself, but in his almost desperate unwillingness to live without him?

That was certainly what it was beginning to feel like…

“I’m glad you did what you did,” Kuroko was saying, in that blunt way he had. Akashi blinked back into focus. “Perhaps Akashi-kun has a soft spot after all.”

Akashi gave a start. Kuroko had a teasing look in his eye, but there was something else there too. Something shockingly close to sincerity, as though he truly believed Akashi had a fondness for the boy.

Did he?

The idea was ridiculous. He barely knew Furihata, for one. And then there was the overwhelming fact that Akashi had to fight against his every instinct not to tear his throat out whenever they were in close proximity. 

Actually, if Furihata had been killed in that parking lot, it probably would have made Akashi’s life far easier. Things would return to normal, and he wouldn't have to constantly be on guard, hyper aware of his every breath and the direction of the wind patterns. He would be free to move between classes with ease, to have his own space back at his biology table. 

Life would continue on as peacefully as it had been for the past century. The same mundane routine, day after day, for the rest of eternity, presumably.

A few weeks ago, and Akashi would have been content with that. 

So why did the thought of life without Furihata’s existence suddenly seem so dreary?

Kuroko watched him, gauging his reaction. Akashi schooled himself into the appearance of calm, even managing a thin laugh. 

“If you say,” he chuckled. “However, I think you might be reading into it a little much. It doesn’t mean anything significant. As much effort as I’ve put into keeping him alive so far, it seemed like a shame to let something as commonplace as a car accident take him out.”

Kuroko raised a brow. “Are you saving that honor for yourself, then?”

Akashi scoffed. “Of course not.” He folded his arms and gazed into the woods, trying to not focus on the way his throat burned at the thought. He could still clearly remember how hot Furihata’s body had felt against his, the frantic pounding of his heart, the way his blood had swirled beneath the delicate layer of his skin…

“We should head back,” Akashi said abruptly. “I don’t want anyone to change their mind in my absence and go running off after him.”

Kuroko cocked his head. “I don’t believe any of them are that foolish, but I’ll return with you.”

They both ran through the forest together. Akashi was much faster than Kuroko, but he slowed himself to run alongside him instead of leaving him behind. 

He didn’t want to appear particularly anxious to get back to the house.

It wasn’t because he was worried about one of them killing Furihata, he told himself. He simply didn’t want all of his efforts to go to waste, that was all. 

There was certainly nothing more to it than that.

**Author's Note:**

> I take prompt requests! You can find me on Tumblr [here](http://humanitys-shortest-soldier.tumblr.com/) if you want to send something in!
> 
> And [here](https://twitter.com/HUMANxLAMPSHADE?lang=en) is my twitter for more news on writing updates! I've been posting sneak peeks on future works here!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! See you guys soon! <33


End file.
